Home//Mercury/2023-11-02/In This Issue
Mercury|2023-11-02Economic growth in SA is expected to stagnate below 1% this yearECONOMIC growth in South Africa is expected to stagnate below 1% this year as activity remains constrained by inadequate electricity supply, freight rail capacity and a weaker global outlook. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday said that the long-standing structural constraints continued to limit economic performance in the country. In his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Godongwana said power cuts were expected to continue for the remainder of this year, before gradually easing in 2024. He said the gross domestic product (GDP) outlook had dimmed in spite of the 0.9% growth experienced in the first half of the year, and the recovery in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction, transport and communications. “We forecast a 0.8% growth in real GDP in 2023. This is 0.1 percentage points lower than…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Debt relief for Eskom remains conditional on progress of power utility, says TreasuryTreasury Director-General Dr Duncan Pieterse, who was only appointed in August 2023, but who was intimately connected with the Eskom bailout negotiations, said yesterday that Eskom debt relief remained conditional on progress. The media have privileged access to the Finance Minister as well as Treasury officials during the lockup, while the Minister is joined by the Director- General of Treasury, the governor of the South African Reserve Bank and the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service. As at September 30, 2023, the government has disbursed R16 billion of the R78bn debt relief for 2023/24. A task team has been established with officials from the National Treasury, the Department of Public Enterprises and Eskom to monitor compliance with the conditions and report quarterly on whether Eskom qualifies for the…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02MTBPS: Budget cuts, disaster relief allocations and a focus on fiscal responsibilityThe MINISTER of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has revised down spending in the current financial year by R21 billion, while making additional allocations for disaster relief. In his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Godongwana said a further reduction of R64bn in 2024/25 and R69bn in 2025/26 was proposed. “The implications of these adjustments will be partially offset by departments implementing the cost containment guidelines issued by the National Treasury. “It will also be offset by implementing control measures on payroll systems in line with the directive issued by the Department of Public Service and Administration, as well as implementing the recommendations from the spending reviews conducted in the past two fiscal years,” he said. Godongwana said the government had made a strategic decision to allocate funds to sectors that are…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02MTBPS sounds a clear warning about the state of SA’s public finances, says Minerals CouncilThe Medium-Term Budget Statement (MTBS) laid bare the consequences of the failures of state-owned entities like Transnet and Eskom, which is negatively affecting the mining sector’s profitability and government tax revenue. In a stark illustration of this, the mining corporate tax take in the first half of 2023/24 is down by R24.6 billion, or 55.4%, relative to the same period a year earlier. This is an important factor in the R56.8bn downward revision in gross government tax revenue compared to what was expected in the February budget. The scale of the fiscal problem was further emphasised by the fact that, despite cuts to non-interest expenditure over the next two years of R85bn and the signal of R15bn worth of tax hikes in 2024/25, government debt is now expected to peak…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Minister buys more time as markets respond positively to the MTBPSThe MEDIUM-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) shows that the National Treasury is doing its best to hold the line against rising political pressure to increase spending. Although spending, excluding interest on debt, has increased this year by R30 billion, of this R27bn is financed by re-prioritising existing spending. While this may not be possible, it is important that Treasury is signalling to investors its intent to respond to political pressure in the most prudent way possible. The outcome of the debt profile in the MTBPS was largely expected and in line with our in-house expectation that issuance of South African local currency bonds would not be increased, despite the rather terrifying redemption profile that SA faces over the next ten years. South Africa’s rand denominated redemptions have averaged R33bn…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Downer private prosecution remains on court rollFORMER president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution against state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan will remain on the court roll, Pieter- maritzburg High Court Judge Nkosinathi Chili said yesterday. Four court rulings have gone against Zuma in the private prosecution matter and he has applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court after a recent Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) finding. Judge Chili yesterday postponed the matter to April 2024 to allow the former president time to finalise his appeals. Zuma has alleged that Downer violated the NPA Act by sharing court papers containing his medical information with Maughan. Advocates Andrew Breitenbach for Downer and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi for Maughan, yesterday argued that the private prosecution should be removed from the roll or adjourned and how this should unfold.…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02How will you be remembered?When it is all said and done very few, if anyone, will know about my deepest regrets? Will they know yours? Will it matter if they do or not? What have you done with yours? My regrets run deep, run long. Some have taken me a lifetime of attempts at repair, some with a degree of success, others with no indications of any success. It has not been without trying. I have looked at myself in the mirror on hundreds, if not thousands of occasions, taken stock, took responsibility for the ways in which I hurt others. I have given much time to assess the seasons of my life when indifference was a way of life, seasons when it looked to others as if I was winning, achieving, succeeding, when…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Matric learners should stay focusedTHE IFP extends its warmest wishes and support to all matric learners as they embark on their 2023 final exams. This pivotal moment in the lives of South Africa’s youth marks the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and determination. The IFP stands in solidarity with these young individuals as they take this important step towards their future. The matric exams represent an essential juncture in the educational journey of our youth, setting the stage for their higher education and career prospects. The IFP recognises the extraordinary effort, resilience and sacrifice demonstrated by matric learners throughout their studies. We salute their commitment and perseverance as they face their final exams. Your dedication to your education is commendable, and we are confident that you will rise to the occasion, showcasing…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Thank you for opposing this warThe Palestinian Solidarity Group (PSG), like many other voices of ordinary South African civil society, are constructively and meaningfully responding to the current massacre of the Palestinian people by the Zionist apartheid Israeli occupiers. Seeing people of all ages and from all communities and organisations assemble and demonstrate outside the legislature (244 Langalibalele Street) last Thursday proved that our call, voices and cries were not in vain. Thank you to the ordinary South Africans living in Pietermaritzburg for standing up for the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and for opposing this current brutal war against defenceless and innocent children, women and men. The scenes of support and solidarity, the placard posters and banners, the pickets, the protest marches and the chants for a free Palestine and a better world for all…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02R100bn allocated for public service wagesNEARLY R100 billion has been allocated to cover the costs of the public service wage bill for the next three years, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has confirmed. Tabling the medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) yesterday, Godongwana, however, emphasised that budget adjustments were targeted to “protect critical front line services”, including basic education, health and the police services. A strategic decision had been made, the minister said, to allocate funds to sectors that were personnel heavy such as health, education and police services. “Additional funding of R24 billion this year and R74 billion over the medium term will be used to fund the 2023-24 wage increase and the associated carry-through costs in these sectors. “Most national and provincial departments will absorb the carry-through costs of the 2023 public…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02AfriForum fails in bid to extend driving licences validityDRIVING licences in the country will remain valid for five years, after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, this week dismissed AfriForum’s application that called for the regulation around the expiry of driving licences be revised. The civil rights organisation’s legal team is investigating the possibility of appealing the judgment. The court heard arguments that the National Road Traffic Act was contrary to the five-year validity period and left no room for a regulation that stipulated that licence cards expired. AfriForum proposed a longer period than five years for a driving licence to remain valid. Acting Judge Jacob Strijdom, however, dismissed the application on a technicality. Judge Strijdom said AfriForum should have brought the application within 180 days after the regulation was issued 23 years ago. “The explanation for the delay…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02One killed as truck ploughs into housesOne person was killed when a truck ploughed into a vehicle and three properties in the Athlone area of Howick in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday. Security company, Mi7 National Group director Colin David said its Emergency Medical Services was dispatched after reports of a motor vehicle accident on Howick Road. David said upon arrival Mi7 medics found several vehicles parked on the roadside, with bystanders rushing toward adjacent properties. “Community members rushed Mi7 medics towards a property into which a large truck had barrelled through,” he said, adding that this was the last of three properties that the truck had hit. He said the truck had also hit an unoccupied stationary vehicle. “The truck cabin had disappeared into the structure, with the roof having collapsed on top of it,” said David. According…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Politicians should not spoil our partyIn a democracy like ours, it is the prerogative of the president of the country to officially congratulate the players as head of state, not that of a political party. Nothing showed up our political immaturity than the scoundrels from the political parties undoing the great good of “stronger together” cultivated by our lads. Although l am guided by the principle of “your rank is what you have and respect is what you earn”, now is not the time to erode our symbols of authority and sour the victory.…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Cuba blockade continues to discredit and isolate the USAn undeclared war on the economy and society of more than 11 million people THE blockade imposed on Cuba for more than six decades is the most severe and longest-enduring system of unilateral sanctions applied against any country. It’s not a single measure but a whole set of them, well designed with the sole purpose of hindering the development of Cuba and its people. Among the harshest of the measures under Washington’s policy of aggression is the inclusion of Cuba on the US State Department’s arbitrary list of state sponsors of terrorism; the persecution of the country’s financial and trading operations; attempts to undermine the recovery of the tourism sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and a campaign aimed at discrediting Cuba’s medical co- operation programmes. Cuba’s inclusion…4 min
Mercury|2023-11-02‘Extreme storm’ fearsA rapidly intensifying storm was set to batter north-west Europe yesterday and today, unleashing severe winds, heavy rainfall and flooding. The UK Met Office has named the system Ciarán, and it was expected to hit Britain and France hard, while its southern fringe also will affect Spain, Portugal and other parts of southern and central Europe. In Britain, the ‘extreme storm’ could rank among the strongest in records that date back 200 years. In Ireland, the concern was for up to 10cm of rainfall causing flooding before Ciarán arrives. Southern parts of the UK are bracing for strong winds gusting between 104.6km/h and 128.8km/h. In France, a rare “sting jet” could blast the north-west coastline with winds gusting 144km/h to 160.9km/h. Up to 100mm of rain is expected…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Japan train hits bearTokyo: Eight people spent the night in an unheated train in chilly northern Japan after the vehicle hit a bear, authorities said yesterday, as the country grapples with a rise in bear-related incidents. The number of bear attacks on people is sharply higher this year, with experts blaming a poor acorn harvest forcing the animals to search further afield for food. The small train on the island of Hokkaido collided with the 1.8m-tall bear in the city of Furano this week. The accident put the train out of action and those on board were advised not to leave until hunters arrived. The bear was found dead. | AFP…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Trump junior to testify in civil fraud trialNEW YORK: Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump jr was set to testify yesterday in a New York civil fraud trial accusing the former US president and his family businesses of inflating asset values to dupe lenders and insurers. Donald jr, an executive vice-president at the Trump Organization, is the first of Trump’s adult children to take the stand, followed by Eric and Ivanka Trump. Their father is set to testify on Monday. The lawsuit by Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James accuses Trump, his two adult sons and a handful of their family businesses of inflating their assets to secure better loan terms. Donald jr and his brother, Eric, took over management of the Trump Organization from his father in 2017. | Reuters…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Adaptable Proteas do double over NZSouth Africa completed the double over New Zealand yesterday, with the Proteas thrashing the Black Caps by 190 runs to put them within touching distance of a place in the Cricket World Cup semi-finals. After the Springboks edged the All Blacks in last weekend’s Rugby World Cup final, captain Siya Kolisi and President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the nation to now switch their attention to the Proteas. In previous years, this spotlight has proved too bright for the cricketers, but Temba Bavuma’s team are showing that they want to be considered genuine contenders with the tournament fast approaching the business end. And they are doing so in such a sparkling manner that everyone is starting to believe that things may just be different this time around. Four years ago, England…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Ex-Newcastle rookie Cross pushing for Bafana spotBafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has cast his net far and wide to bolster his squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda later this month. He has named a 44-man preliminary squad that will be trimmed to 23 players before a camp at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre on Monday, November 13. An interesting inclusion in the squad is the Kempton Park-born left-footed centre-back Bradley Cross, who is playing for Golden Arrows. He made headlines two years ago when he was signed by Newcastle United after an impressive spell at German club FC Schalke 04. He was on loan there from Bidvest Wits, a PSL outfit at the time. Cross failed to break into Newcastle’s Premier League squad, and played mainly in the…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Electricity crisis has sparked surge in renewable energy investmentsA SPIN-OFF from the electricity crisis is that it has forced many households and businesses to invest in renewable energy and this capacity is now double that of the strictly government-controlled formal renewable energy programme, which started in 2011. In yesterday’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stated that rooftop solar capacity installed by homes and businesses amounted to 4.412MW, or “twice the capacity installed to date under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.” Over the next three years, he predicted, more than 11 000MW of electricity capacity from various renewable resources will be added, which would significantly reduce power outages. The MTBPF yesterday included spending on renewable energy and a just energy transition in line with international efforts to combat climate change and…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02MTBPS: Mini Budget is unlikely to instil confidence among small business ownersGROWING small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and making it easier for them to trade was a simpler solution to economic growth and job creation than the strategies outlined by the government in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Garth Rossiter, the chief risk officer of SME bank and funding services provider Lula, said yesterday. Rossiter said that to him, the MTBPS appeared to be “vague” plans that would attempt resolve the country’s immediate problems over the next three years, such as the issues of electricity, load shedding, and the ability to transport goods in the country. These problems were also negatively impacting the ability of small businesses to trade, he said. He said unlike previous Budgets, SME’s or companies were not mentioned once in the MTBPF, and while small businesses…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Treasury expects the country’s greylisting lifted in early 2025TREASURY officials said that they are making progress on 17 of the 22 action items that the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) asked South Africa to attend to and the Treasury officials said they expect compliance by early 2025. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his speech said that the government expected to address all the deficiencies identified by the FATF by early 2025. The FATF warned on October 28, 2023 that unless South Africa showed consistent improvement in the regu- lation of anti-money laundering and terrorist financing standards, the country would remain on its grey list, but this issue was not addressed in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) documentation given to the media before the speech. Instead, the media have an opportunity to speak with Treasury officials during…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02MTBPS round up: Godongwana offers a realistic, but vulnerable fiscal pictureProfessor Raymond Parsons, North-West University Business School: In the face of pressing economic and fiscal challenges, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana offered a realistic, but vulnerable fiscal picture for South Africa. Several of the fiscal risks outlined in the main February Budget have materialised and were recognised by the Minister. While it may have been inevitable that the Medium-Term Budget has allowed public debt levels to rise even further it must be seen as a stop-gap measure that still needs to be remedied by appropriate economic steps. There was clearly no appetite for tough decisions in the Medium-Term Budget. On the positive side, the MTBPS recognised that whatever the current fiscal strains, public finance sustainability in the longer term ultimately…8 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Guidelines on what to do before and after donating bloodBlood donation is a selfless act that has the potential to save lives and contribute to the well-being of countless individuals. The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) says less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors. A unit of blood lasts only 42 days after donation and, for this reason, blood donors need to donate regularly. Donors can give blood as often as every eight weeks. Below, you will find a comprehensive guide to help you determine if you qualify to be a blood donor and advice to ensure you have a good experience during your blood donation. Before donating blood: Check if you’re eligible The SANBS has certain criteria for blood donors. You need to be between 16 and 75 years old, weigh more than 50kg…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Call for councillors to pursue educationThe SA Local Government Association (Salga) in KZN has called for the upskilling of councillors to make them competitive in the job market and reduce the fierce and violent contestation for councillor positions. Salga said it believed that giving councillors’ meaningful education will give them career options and reduce political-related murders. KZN Salga chairperson Thami Ntuli called for municipalities to invest in councillors’ education to provide them options for a life outside politics. Currently, municipalities are only offering short courses for upskilling councillors. But at least one municipality said in its case, this could change with councillors being offered opportunities in tertiary education following the change in rules governing the process. The chairperson’s advice comes after a recent audit outcome by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Government (Cogta) which…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Strong language at inquiryIS NO 10 Downing Street, the seat of British government, the equivalent of a pirate ship, in terms of vocabulary? At the Covid Inquiry in London this week, widely televised live, apologies were frequently flashed on viewer’s screens for the appalling language contained in certain documents, also flashed on the screens. This was as Dominic Cummings, the former adviser to Boris Johnson when he was prime minister, was giving evidence and being quizzed by Hugo Keith KC. The passages in question were pungently replete with four-letter words. These were official government documents. Keith described it as “disgusting”. A picture emerges so far of a government in the early stages totally out of touch with the full implications of Covid and a prime minister – Johnson – who, at one stage,…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Fake holiday to help us forget our illsNow that the cabin-bag, very dubiously labelled “Caution: This package from the ‘Ancient Madame de Farge Stadium’ of Paris may contain traces of contaminated, radioactive dust particles of the deadly diseases of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”, has been cleared by our customs, it’s actually time to check out the local computer-screen for the real score. Our boss has, at a quick sleight of arm, pacified us – 62 million inhabitants, by pulling a bunny-rabbit holiday out of virtual air. Wow! Other writers to this paper have already warned about “anaesthesia” and “amnesia” that help to momentarily forget the scores of ills that besiege the country. “Awarding” a holiday, dropping fuel prices, increasing social grants, all just before elections, do help one to forget, even obliterate memories of the very serious…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Municipalities respond positively to Eskom debt relief arrangementMORE than 60 municipalities have submitted applications for Eskom debt relief arrangements as at last month. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said they had received a total of 67 applications, after government had invited municipalities to apply for debt relief to cover its arrears owed to Eskom up to March 31. The plan is to write off the debt over a three-year period, provided that municipalities comply with the set conditions that include enforcing credit control and collecting revenue to pay bulk expenses such as electricity and water and the up-to-date payment of Eskom’s monthly current account. Municipalities that fail to meet the conditions will need to repay the remainder of their arrear debt to Eskom, including interest and penalties. Godongwana said addressing the Eskom problem without dealing with the municipal…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Staff at Treasury HQ to move after years of safety fearsWORKERS at the National Treasury head office at Church Square in Tshwane are moving from the dilapidated building after their employer informed them that renovating it would not be cost-effective. For a number of years, the building at 40 Church Square, valued at just over R19 million with a monthly rental of about R673 000 in 2019, housed the offices of successive finance ministers, their deputies and directors-general, among other senior officials, having rented it for nearly two decades. The Public Servants Association (PSA) announced to its members, who have complained about its dilapidation and the health and safety risks they faced while working in the facility, that the National Treasury had agreed to relocate them to another building. The reason cited by the union is that Treasury informed parties…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02‘Imposter’ caught writing matric exam in KZNTeacher unions have applauded the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education’s exam monitoring processes after an alleged cheating incident was detected at Phendukani Full Service School in Madadeni, Newcastle on Tuesday. Matric exams began on Monday. Provincial education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said reports have indicated there was an imposter writing on behalf of a private candidate who had applied to write at the school which falls under the Amajuba District. It is understood the private candidate is not linked to the school but had applied to write the exams there. “The invigilator noticed someone sitting on behalf of the candidate who was supposed to be writing as a part-time candidate,” he said. He said the matter had been reported to the SAPS. Education MEC Mbali Frazer assured the public invigilators had been…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-0219 killed in INK area in 9 daysThe KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison says action will be taken to tackle violence and crime in the INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) area after 19 people, including suspects, were killed in the past nine days. In the most recent incident, two men were found murdered on the side of the road near KwaMashu Hostel yesterday. Last Wednesday, five people were shot and killed in Amaoti, Inanda, in a suspected drug-related incident. Last Monday, seven people were shot execution-style under a bridge at the corner of Malandela Road in KwaMashu, in an apparent vigilante attack. On Monday this week, five suspects were killed in a shoot-out with police near Dube Village Mall in Inanda. Police said the suspects had been terrorising residents. Speaking about yesterday’s incident, KZN police…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02A long way to go before SA’s power grid is stableHartmut Winkler Over the past few months, South Africa’s power generation sector has performed better than expected. Four factors explain this: an acceleration of solar power installations, less frequent breakdowns at power stations, a less restricted supply of diesel and the return to operation of some units at Kusile coal-fired power station. Throughout most of this year, South Africa experienced prolonged and damaging electricity shortages, making 2023 the worst year to date. The power utility Eskom confirmed this in its annual results presentation, in which it said: “Eskom’s generating plant availability reached the lowest levels ever, due to unprecedented levels of unplanned unavailability.” The percentage of functional power-generating capacity, which was typically around 90% in the 1990s, has dropped over the past few years. It was between 50% and 60%…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02First evacuees cross into EgyptA first group of civilian evacuees from Gaza crossed into Egypt under a Qatari-mediated deal yesterday while Israeli forces bombed the Palestinian enclave from land, sea and air in their offensive against Hamas militants. The evacuees – trapped in Gaza since the start of the war more than three weeks ago – were driven in ambulances through the Rafah border crossing. A source at the border said they were undergoing security checks on the Egyptian side. Under the deal reached between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, a number of foreign nationals and critically wounded people will be allowed to leave the besieged territory. Despite the breakthrough on the humanitarian front, Israeli war planes, naval boats and artillery pounded Gaza throughout the night, inflicting scores more casualties among the civilian population, Palestinian…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Macron boosts tiesASTANA: French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday said he wanted to “accelerate co-operation” with Kazakhstan as part of a visit to boost France’s footprint in Central Asia. The French leader is on a two-day visit to the resource-rich region, where Russia, China, Türkiye and Europe want influence. Macron acknowledged the “geopolitical pressures” on Kazakhstan, which borders Russia to its north and China to its east. Macron and Kazakhstan’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a series of contracts in the minerals,energy, pharmaceuticals and aerospace sectors. | AFP…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02King Charles admits to colonial abuses in KenyaBRITAIN’S King Charles III met Kenyan veterans of World War II yesterday, after acknowledging there was “no excuse” for colonial-era abuses during Britain’s rule of the country. Charles said he wished to “deepen my own understanding of these wrongs” during his four-day state visit to Kenya with Queen Camilla, but also to bolster “a modern partnership of equals facing today’s challenges”. There have been widespread calls for Charles to formally apologise to a country Britain violently ruled for decades before Kenya’s hard-fought independence in 1963. On his first day in Nairobi on Tuesday, the 74-year-old British head of state said the “wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret”, but stopped short of an apology. “There were abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Nienaberexplains ‘beautyof this Bok team’before RWC finalThe hotel in Toulon that hosted the Springboks for much of the World Cup is a regular base for professional rugby teams, and a spokesperson commented in the French media that he had never seen a “tighter” group than Jacques Nienaber’s World Cup winners. A chain is indeed only as strong as its weakest link, and this “tightness” of the Bok squad was the first explanation Nienaber gave for his team winning back-to-back World Cups. He said jealousy had long ago been wiped out in the squad, and only players who understood that the team came way before personal egos were going to make the cut when the squad was picked in August. “Let me explain by giving you an example of what I am talking about,” Nienaber said this…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Plays of the day: Bavuma in crunchy cover drive for sixSouth Africa put on a flawless display last night in handing New Zealand a 190-run hiding at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. We chose three plays of the day from the Proteas’ performance, which put them well on course for a World Cup semi-final spot... Catch of the day Aiden Markram proved once again why he is rated as one of the best fielders in the world. The South African took a blinder at slip off the bowling of Marco Jansen to dismiss the destructive Devon Conway. Conway was positioning himself to play with a straight bat through the covers, but was instead taken by surprise by the steep bounce that the tall Proteas fast bowler generates. Conway was also surprised by the delivery’s sharp inward deviation off…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Martin bemoans ‘clear disadvantage’ for AmaZuluAmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin has expressed his displeasure with the ‘double-header’ format before his side’s duel with Golden Arrows. Usuthu and Abafana Bes’thende will play the second of two Carling Knockout Cup quarter-finals at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, which is set to kick off at 7pm. Before the two KwaZulu-Natal teams take centre stage, Richards Bay take on hosts Orlando Pirates at 3pm at the same 2010 Fifa World Cup venue. The organisers’ decision to introduce this ‘innovative’ set-up has been met with mixed reactions among the clubs, with Usuthu the only side to express their feelings publicly. AmaZulu are the primary users of the stadium in all top-flight competitions, and are yet to lose a match on their own patch. However, the Durban-based outfit will now…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Finance Minister Godongwana slashes spending to rein in SA’s ballooning debtThe country’s fiscal outlook had severely deteriorated and debt-service costs are rising, he says FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana has delivered the news no-one wanted to hear, that there is going to be less food on the table as the government has to pay bloated interest on its debt. Godongwana yesterday warned that South Africa’s fiscal outlook had severely deteriorated as the rising debt-service costs were “crowding out” priority expenditure and consuming a greater share of the National Budget. “The main Budget deficit has increased by R54.7 billion compared with the 2023 Budget estimates. This reflects lower revenue performance, higher wage bill costs and higher projected debt-service costs,” Godongwana said. This comes as the government is expected to significantly raise its borrowings to average R553.7bn per year over the next…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Tax revenue collections down due to a sharp fall in corporate income tax, particularly from miningTHE MINISTER of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, said yesterday that the collection of revenue this year was lower relative to the 2023 Budget, citing under-collections in corporate tax, particularly from the mining sector. The gross tax revenue estimate for 2023/24 has been revised down by R56.8 billion to R1.73 trillion. This reflects lower revenue performance, higher wage bill costs and higher projected debt-service costs. “The main reasons for this are a sharp fall in corporate income tax, particularly from the mining sector. “The result of the shortfall is a substantial worsening in the main budget deficit in the current fiscal year. We are now projecting a deficit of 4.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) compared to our previous estimate of 4%,” he said. Godongwana said under these circ*mstances, measures…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02MTBPS: Covid-19 social grant extended until March 2025THE COUNTRY’S Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, has said that the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant will continue until March 2025, while it considers social security policy reforms and a funding model. The Minister said that R34 billion had been allocated to extend the grant by another year. “Over the medium term, a provisional allocation is retained while a comprehensive review of the entire social grant system is finalised. The 2023 Budget indicated that the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant was only funded until March 2024. “Government proposes that the fiscal framework make provision for funding for the grant for 2024/25. Beyond this, a comprehensive review of the entire social grant system by the Department of Social Development and the National Treasury is required,” Godongwana said. The Treasury…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02State departments to be squeezedSouth Africa will be starting the process to merge and close a number of government departments and entities over the next three years as part of reconfiguring the structure and size of the state. This comes as government finances stand on the edge of a fiscal cliff due to unsustainable national debt burden, widening borrowing costs, elevated expenditure and dwindling tax revenue. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana yesterday said the reconfiguration of the government was one of the National Treasury’s approaches to fiscal consolidation, which includes spending reductions, efficiency measures across the government and moderate revenue increases. Tabling his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) in Parliament, Godongwana said the Presidency, Treasury, and the departments of Public Service and Administration, and of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, were formulating high level recommendations on…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Nzimande falls foul of court order on UnisaMinister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande was found to have breached a recent court order interdicting him from placing Unisa under administration. The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, declared that the minister’s decision to place Unisa under administration was in breach of a court order and therefore in contempt of court. He was ordered to withdraw the notice. The high court ruling yesterday came after the university filed an urgent application. Nzimande had named Ihron Rensburg, former vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Johannesburg, as administrator responsible for all university management for 24 months. The decision followed recommendations of an independent assessor following a damning report which flagged serious incidents of maladministration and other challenges affecting the institution. Last month, the Unisa council and VC Professor Puleng…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Biased reporting on Palestine must stopI am certain that the newly appointed members of the SABC board do read newspapers from time to time emanating from the Independent Media stable of newspapers. I wish to convey the message that follows and I expect someone there to respond. Day 25 Israel v Palestine Holocaust – a crime against humanity. SABC news propaganda reports every hour or half-hour talking of Israel attacking “Hamas targets”. A cancer hospital can’t be a Hamas target. Homes of Palestinians are not Hamas targets. Homes of civilians can’t be Hamas targets. This bias and blatant propaganda is a Goebbelsian attempt to manufacture consent. It must stop or I take action. I don’t know or I’m trying to imagine how a broadcaster can, as SABC is blatantly doing, propagate propaganda. I want to…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Springboks have made SA believe againThere can be no doubt that being at OR Tambo Airport on Tuesday to welcome back our rugby heroes as they returned with the Webb Ellis Cup from France was as emotional as it was euphoric. Ringing out the tune of our national anthem to crowds jiving to the universal song Jerusalema, one could not help but feel a sense of unbridled patriotism. No race mattered or religion or ethnicity or political belief or anything that serves to divide. All that mattered was South Africa, united in victory to become world champions for an unprecedented fourth time. The Springbok, once a symbol of hate and derision, has now been embraced as a tool of unification. If only those who are power-drunk would take a leaf out of the hymn book…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Parties look to churches for supportParties like ATM, which was formed with the backing of the South African Council of Messianic Churches in Christ (SACMCC) said they were looking to large and small churches for support ahead of next year’s ballot. On Saturday, the party announced it would be trying to expand in KwaZulu-Natal and would do so through the SACMCC and other churches at district and regional level. ATM provincial leader Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi said churches had taken a back seat after the demise of apartheid and the first democratic elections but failures in leadership meant that churches had to again rise up against “failed leadership and a decline in moral values”. The party said it would be campaigning in all provinces ahead of its national manifesto launch in December. “Churches have an important…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Humanitarian organisation assists Ladysmith residents after hailNon-profit humanitarian aid organisation Al-Imdaad Foundation assisted hundreds of residents in Ladysmith whose homes were damaged by “golf-ball sized” hailstones in the recent storms that left eight dead and over 40 schools damaged or destroyed in KwaZulu-Natal. The foundation’s local projects co-ordinator, Irfaan Ahmed, said the Al-Imdaad Foundation disaster relief teams partnered with disaster management to respond to the storm. The foundation provided plastic sheeting to homes damaged by the hailstorm. “The extent of the storm damage was vast resulting in over 400 homes being damaged by the hailstones. “Many of the homes lost their window panes and roofs were damaged resulting in water entering into the homes and causing damages to furniture etc. The size of the hail stones were large, equivalent to the size of a golf ball,”…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Teacher scammed, loses pension moneyThe Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) has issued a warning to South African women to be vigilant amid a “rapid increase of dating scam incidents”. The warning came after a 60-year-old Polokwane woman was scammed out of R800 000 of her pension money. “According to the victim, who was employed by the Department of Education in Limpopo as a teacher, she met a guy at a shopping complex in Polokwane in the beginning of the year,” said Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo, Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke. She struck up a relationship with the man and on one occasion visited her boyfriend’s rented house in Ivy Park, Polokwane. “According to the victim, she was taken to one of the rooms by the suspect so she could be introduced to the ancestors.…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Home Affairs can keep their smart IDsYour story “More than half a million IDs remain uncollected at Home Affairs offices” refers. I am one of the half million South Africans whose ID cards remain uncollected at a Home Affairs office. When I renewed my South African passport some months ago, the Caledon Home Office suggested I also apply for the new so-called “smart ID card”, which I did. But when I went to collect it, I waited nearly two hours before noticing that customers with higher ticket numbers than mine were called up to the collection counter before me. I left my seat to query this, and was peremptorily ordered by the woman at the counter to return to my seat, with no explanation for the discrepancy in the numbers. I tried to reason with her,…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02RHETORIC WON’T GET SA BACK ON TRACKAN unsuspecting audience listening to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Monday address could be forgiven for concluding that he only came into government long after Jacob Zuma had exited the Union Buildings. He would like to have the public believe that his hands, insofar as state capture is concerned, are clean, judging by how he absolves himself whenever he gets the platform. Perhaps it’s stating the obvious when we remind the reader that Ramaphosa was Zuma’s right-hand man for nine years, the same period he often claims state capture took place. So it took place under his nose. If he were to be believed in saying he was not aware of it, it means he was either complacent or did not do his job well – or both. But none of these…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Pakistan expelling illegal immigrantsPakistani authorities started rounding up undocumented foreigners ahead of yesterday’s midnight deadline for them to leave or face expulsion. Afghans have made up the bulk of around 140 000 such immigrants to have voluntarily left so far, officials said, some of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades. Brushing aside calls from the UN, rights groups and Western embassies to reconsider, Pakistan last month set the November 1 deadline to begin expelling all undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of Afghans. In the southern port city of Karachi, home to a large number of Afghan migrants and refugees, deputy commissioner Junaid Iqbal Khan said up to 40 people without the proper documents had so far been moved to one of the transit centres. Of the voluntary returnees, around 104 000…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Workers block roadsDhaka: Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers barricaded roads in Dhaka yesterday demanding fair wages for clothing they make for major Western brands, with at least two killed during days of protests. The garment worker protests come as Bangladesh also reels from separate anti-government demonstrations, with opposition party supporters demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down ahead of elections due by the end of January. Bangladesh’s 3 500 garment factories account for 85% of the South Asian country’s $55 billion (about R1 trillion) exports, but conditions are dire for workers. | AFP…1 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Declaration on global AI safetyBritain yesterday published a “Bletchley Declaration”, agreed with countries including the US and China, aimed at boosting global efforts to co-operate on artificial intelligence (AI) safety. The declaration, by 28 countries in total, was published on the opening day of the AI Safety Summit hosted in Bletchley Park, central England. “The declaration fulfils key summit objectives in establishing shared agreement and responsibility on the risks, opportunities and a forward process for international collaboration on frontier AI safety and research, particularly through greater scientific collaboration,” Britain said in a statement accompanying the declaration. Britain convened governments, academia and companies working at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence at the inaugural AI Safety Summit to debate how, and even if, the risks of the technology could be contained. The meeting is the…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Kolisi: As long as I can put on the Springbok jersey, I’m happyIt is the World Cup that keeps on giving for Springbok rugby fans after revered captain Siya Kolisi said that he has no intention of quitting the game at the international level. Earlier this year, when the 32-year-old announced that he was leaving the Sharks for Racing 92 in Paris, he hinted that the World Cup would be his swansong – but he has had a change of heart. At OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg this week, Kolisi was asked about his future, and his answer was music to the ears of adoring South Africans. “Nothing will change for me with the Boks,” he said, smiling. “I will still be up for selection, because I really want to continue to play. “On being captain, I am not sure. I am…3 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Old man’smarbles getsrecognitionat schoolsTHE extraordinary performance of our Springbok rugby team in the weekend’s World Cup final prompts thoughts about the opportunities available for the youth of South Africa to evolve into world champions. In contrast, let’s consider lawn bowls, a sport that has not traditionally been associated with younger athletes. Nowadays, however, lawn bowls is gaining recognition as a valuable sport for young players. Some individuals dismissively refer to it as ‘old man’s marbles’ and categorise it as a pastime for retirees. What they fail to realise is that this sport demands a remarkable degree of mental and physical fitness and skill. Whether you’re 9 or 90, lawn bowls can be both enjoyable and mentally demanding due to its strategic nature. Worldwide, the game has become a competitive arena for the younger…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Sharks spoke about playing ‘more ambitiously’When John Plumtree began his second tenure at the Sharks in July after a 12-year absence, his first mission was to “lock the guys away with no rugby ball” and talk about the culture and playing style the team needed to be successful. Plumtree, who feels the Sharks have slipped down the ladder in South Africa, was talking from London, where his career has come full circle yet again because he will be coaching against another former team, the Ospreys, in the United Rugby Championship tomorrow (9.35pm kick-off SA time). When Plumtree finished as a player at the Sharks at the end of 1996, he went straight into a coaching role at Swansea (now the Ospreys). He had a long and successful tenure there and his son Taine was born…2 min
Mercury|2023-11-02Broos right man for Bafana, says Arrows coachGolden Arrows coach Mabhuti Khenyeza has thrown his weight behind national mentor Hugo Broos to lead Bafana Bafana to a better future. The Belgium-born coach has never shied too far away from controversy since his arrival on South African shores two years ago, as his blunt personality rocked the football fraternity. Broos, an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Cameroon in 2016, has made shocking yet bold decisions since his appointment in 2021, and has always had the words to defend them. While he has found himself at loggerheads with Premier Soccer League clubs, Broos’s impact at Bafana since taking over has earned him an admirer in Khenyeza. The 41-year-old mentor, who has guided Arrows to a surprisingly strong start to the 2023/2024 campaign, complimented Broos’s forward-thinking approach as one…2 min
