The Mercury - April 10, 2025

In this issue

April 10, 2025

Enhancing water management skills 'vital to tackling infrastructure challenges'

INFRASTRUCTURE experts are calling for a concerted effort to enhance the skills of water management professionals to effectively address the pressing water challenges affecting the province.

2 mins

Trump hits pause on global tariffs

US president said more than 75 countries requested negotiations

2 mins

King Misuzulu makes key appointments amid rising tensions in royal family

ZULU King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has appointed Inkosi Zuzifa Buthelezi, the son of the late Zulu nation's prime minister Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, as the chairperson of the Zulu kingdom council a move that is being seen by many as a step closer to appointing him as the next Zulu prime minister.

2 mins

Constitutional crisis looms as EFF takes Parliament to court over 2025 Fiscal Framework

THE EFF has filed court papers in the Western Cape High Court to challenge the adoption of the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals by the National Assembly last Thursday, deeming it unlawful and unconstitutional.

2 mins

South Africans are being fleeced

I REFER to Thyagaraj Markandan's letter \"Eskom wants to penalise consumers who're trying to solve a problem it created\" (The Mercury, April 3.

1 min

Ethics espoused by the West an illusion disguising unpalatable truths

ONE of the greatest brainwashing operations our society has been subjected to is the belief that the West upholds ethics, principles and human rights.

1 min

UIF office feels like a graveyard for once useful citizens

AFTER almost 15 years, I happened to visit the UIF office at Pinetown this week.

1 min

Our global leaders have blatantly violated their oath of office

THIS year is limping towards a tumultuous military climate.

1 min

Hidden motivations of gossip: why we talk about others

WHAT is office or church or family gossip really about?

1 min

Music versus bad weather...

“TWAS a mizbly, drizzly day in Durban this week as folk gathered for the St. Clements Arts Soiree. Down on the beachfront between the day, conditions were somewhere between a damp squib and a squall, but the soiree would surely have to be held indoors.

1 min

Urgent need for reform within SAPS says expert

A POLICING expert at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) says the challenges facing the SAPS stem from the failure to adapt policing models to the South African context.

2 mins

Msunduzi revises its card payment policy

THE Msunduzi Municipality says it has changed its card payment policy after a councillor raised concerns that it was charging residents an additional transaction fee when customers used their bank cards to pay municipal bills.

2 mins

Africa must reduce over-dependence on single markets

PRESIDENT Donald Trump's recent imposition of sweeping tariffs has sent shockwaves through the global economy, with Africa feeling acutely.

2 mins

Trump, AfriForum are 'the problem of stupidity'

The 'crisis' they decry is more a stubborn refusal to let go of an outdated past

4 mins

EU plan to end Russian fertiliser imports unsettles farmers

THE EU’s plans to impose tariffs on fertiliser imports from Russia in a bid to increase pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine war have alarmed European farmers worried about possible price hikes.

2 mins

US tariff policy causes 'global uncertainty'

INDONESIA'S President Prabowo Subianto said on Tuesday that the recent \"reciprocal tariff\" policy introduced by the US has raised international concerns about the global economic landscape.

1 min

Al tool aims to help conserve Japan's cherry trees

JAPAN'S famed cherry trees are getting old, but a new Al tool that assesses photos of the delicate pink and white flowers could help preserve them for future generations.

1 min

S Korea unveils $2bn emergency help for carmakers after Trump tariff blow

SOUTH Korea yesterday unveiled a $2 billion emergency support package for its critical export-focused carmakers, warning US President Donald Trump's 25 percent tariffs on the sector could be a \"significant blow.\"

1 min

AI tool aims to help conserve Japan's cherry trees

JAPAN'S famed cherry trees are getting old, but an AI \"tool\" that assesses photos of the delicate pink and white flowers could help preserve them for future generations.

1 min

Trump's new tariffs take effect, with 104% on Chinese goods

US President Donald Trump's punishing tariffs on dozens of economies came into force yesterday, including over 100 percent in levies against China, triggering markets into a global trade war intensified.

3 mins

Suspects killed in shootout wanted for Inanda murders

FOUR suspects killed in a shootout with KwaZulu-Natal police on Tuesday night were wanted in connection with at least three murders.

1 min

Irregularities prompt parties to demand IEC reforms

SEVERAL political parties contested last week’s elections in the City of Johannesburg have called for the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to improve its systems ahead of the 2026 local government polls.

1 min

Dealership ordered to refund man after car's computer system crashed

THE National Consumer Tribunal has ordered a dealership to refund a man whose new Haval vehicle's computer system crashed while he was booked for repairs within four months of purchase.

2 mins

'Law-abiding officers won't be disarmed'

THE Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) says recently proposed amendments to the Private Security Act regulations will not result in job losses, or firearms being taken from private security.

2 mins

Hot or not? The great pickled fish debate heats up this Easter

AS THE Easter festivities approach, South Africans from all walks of life find themselves united by one culinary enigma: how should one enjoy pickled fish?

2 mins

Experts weigh in as SA braces for economic fallout from US tariff increases

INTERNATIONAL markets are in turmoil as US President Donald Trump's tariffs - which have been revised upwards for many countries - come into effect at midnight with a negative spillover effect anticipated for South Africa as the rand flirts with historic lows.

3 mins

Transnet revitalises maritime operations after clearing vessel backlog at Port of Durban

MARITIME industry stakeholders celebrate the significant progress made by Transnet in alleviating the backlog of vessels at anchorage in Durban, dropping the number from 50 to zero in 2023.

2 mins

Rand halts freefall after Trump pauses tariffs for 90 days, uncertainty looms

THE rand recovered instantaneously on Wednesday night after suffering a near-record low earlier in the day after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on his sweeping tariffs, which hammered global markets and raised the odds of recession.

2 mins

Financial services turmoil on JSE as global stock markets tumble amid trade war fears

SOUTH Africa’s financial services led the JSE lower on Wednesday as the local bourse tracked large declines in stock markets after the World Bank’s grim forecasts brewing as US China trade war.

2 mins

Navigating US trade hostilities: a strategic deal for South African agriculture

THESE are tumultuous times. Global geopolitics has sharply turned towards isolationism, protectionism, and trans-actional diplomacy. Under the Trump administration’s renewed leadership in the US, the world is witnessing the resurgence of trade wars and punitive tariffs, especially in South Africa, finding itself increasingly at the crossroads of this geopolitical chessboard, especially as it pushes ahead with long-overdue reforms in land redistribution and agricultural transformation.

4 mins

Implications of US 30% reciprocal tariffs on SA agriculture: what you need to know

THE imposition of a 30% reciprocal tariff on South African agricultural exports by the US represents a turning point in bilateral trade relations. This protectionist measure, seemingly implemented in response to South Africa’s trade barriers, threatens to undermine decades of carefully cultivated economic co-operation while exposing the vulnerabilities of the export-dependent agricultural sector.

2 mins

How AfCFTA can transform SA's agricultural exports and drive industrialisation

SINCE market deregulations in 1996, South Africa’s agricultural growth strategy is premised on continuous access to export markets in Europe and America, while also expanding export footprints to special markets in Asia and the Middle East.

3 mins

Nampak Zimbabwe sells majority stake to TSL amid challenging economic conditions

NAMPAK has concluded agreements for the disposal of its Zimbabwean unit with the transaction now subject to suspensive conditions.

2 mins

Purple Group's reports 208% profit surge and client engagement rises

PURPLE Group saw its strongest half-year performance after its financial services and online platforms generated good revenue growth, efficiencies improved, and client engagement increased.

2 mins

Jubilee Metals signs processing agreement to tackle surplus PGM feedstock

JUBILEE Metals Group has entered into a partnership with a local miner in a bid to address the mounting piles of platinum group metals (PGM) feed-stock at its South African operations.

2 mins

Unlocking market access for Africa’s small businesses: the road to growth

THE African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which commenced trading in 2021, represents a historic opportunity to unite 1.3 billion people under a single market with a projected gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.4 trillion (R61.2tr).

2 mins

Harnessing the gig economy: a practical guide for SMEs to leverage freelance talent

FIVE years on from the beginning of lockdown and the world of work is not what it used to be. Apart from the rise of remote working, the pandemic years brought about a rate of technological advancement like few others. While some in-house businesses closed, the gig economy exploded with 1.6 million workers going into freelancing in 2020 alone.

3 mins

Passion to profession: how Nadia Koegelenberg built a thriving pet photography business

AS THE PET industry in South Africa continues to boom, Nadia Koegelenberg, the photographer behind the lens at Moonrise Creative Studio, was able to blend her two most loved passions, animals and photography into a blossoming business.

3 mins

Can Man United end ‘suffering’ in Europe League?

Manchester United's lone hope of salvaging anything from a terrible season lies in the Europa League, where success is vital to helping finance a rebuild of Ruben Amorim's under-performing squad.

2 mins

Goosen warns Bulls about Everitt’s Edinburgh Challenge Cup ‘tricks’

It has been a long time out for Johan Goosen, but making his return to rugby in Loftus this weekend was a special occasion.

2 mins

It’s been locker, says Arsenal hero Rice on free-kicks

DECLAN Rice admitted his brilliant free-kick double in Arsenal’s stunning 5-0 win over Champions League holders Real Madrid was years in the making.

2 mins

Tariffs puts brake on international racing

THE cost of buying Thoroughbred horses from overseas to import for racing or breeding in the United States will be going up as a result of new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

2 mins

Records in danger at National Yearling Sales

THE BSA National Yearling Sale is uppermost in everybody’s minds in South African racing at present and one of the questions is will the South African record price of R9 million be approached or be beaten on April 10 or April 11 of the two day sale at the TBA complex in Germiston?

3 mins

Ellis happy with depth in Banyana squad ahead of Wafcon

THE winds of change are blowing through the Banyana Banyana set-up, and coach Desiree Ellis is convinced that the team will benefit going forward.

1 min

Resilience and skill: How the 2025 Port Natal Bowls champions weathered the storm

ORIGINALLY scheduled for March 1, the 2025 Port Natal Men’s and Women’s trips semi-finals and finals were thrown a curveball when heavy rains flooded the green.

2 mins

MOTORCYCLING Rising SA Moto3 star embraces learning curve in competitive debut season

FROM starting out in go-karts to now racing in one of the fastest leagues in the world, South African Moto3 rider Ruche Moodley said his debut season is all about learning.

1 min

Stellenbosch FC changing the face of the beautiful game, one step at a time

BY the time you read this, Stellenbosch FC's fate in the CAF Confederation Cup would already have been decided.

3 mins

Cardoso praises Downs' composure

MIGUEL Cardoso credited Mamelodi Sundowns' ability to secure a positive result in their CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg away to Espérance de Tunis to his players' focus and composure in shutting out external noise and concentrating solely on events on the pitch.

2 mins

A Bomb Squad ban would only fuel Rassie's Boks revolution

EVEN if World Rugby outlawed the use of a 7-1 Bomb Squad or Nuke Squad, as it's sometimes referred to in South Africa - ahead of the start of the Springboks international season, head coach Rassie Erasmus would've found new and inventive ways to try and circumvent it as he continues to evolve the world champions.

2 mins

SA star Schwartzel eyes second Masters Green Jacket at Augusta

FORMER Masters champion Charl Schwartzel will go into tdday's first round at Augusta National full of confidence that he can repeat his winner's exploits of 2011.

2 mins

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