The Mercury - May 06, 2025

In this issue

May 06, 2025

Durban residents protest against terrorism

KASHMIR ATTACK

2 mins

South Africa takes 7th place among the world's most desirable destinations

TRAVEL

1 min

Employment Equity Act's racial quotas will stifle growth - Zille

DA federal chairperson Helen Zille believes the proposed Employment Equity Amendment Act would drive more people out of jobs.

2 mins

KZN Education Department faces R250m debt crisis

'Well-being of millions of pupils at risk'

3 mins

Rise in immigration enforcement welcome

THE DA welcomes the dramatic increase in internal immigration enforcement operations reported in the fourth quarter of the 2024/25 financial year under the leadership of Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber.

1 min

Joshlin trio: may they rot in jail

A ROAR of joy broke out in the makeshift Saldanha Bay courtroom last week. But the roar of approval wasn't for Joshlin Smith, to signal that she had been found, but for the guilty verdict handed down to the trio accused in the disappearance of the little girl who vanished over a year ago.

1 min

Decision to set up inquiry into TRC cases is misguided

PRESIDENT Ramaphosa's commission to investigate whether attempts were made to delay or prevent the investigation or prosecution of political crimes before 1994 referred by the Truth and Reconciliation Comission to the National Prosecuting Authority, will possibly fail.

1 min

ANC remains clueless about how a true GNU should operate

I CANNOT resist “putting pen to paper’, as it used to be called, to bring attention to the ridiculous comments made by Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, ANC spokesperson.

2 mins

Self-awareness matters more than mind reading

I CHALLENGE my adult clients to focus only on their own behaviour and their own thinking.

1 min

Pakistan and India on a knife edge as the world watches

THE grim war talk between Pakistan and India continues unabated as the major and smaller powers use the bloody conflict as a testing ground to evaluate the hi-tech weapons of war, unaware or brazenly defiant of the fact that the world is one step from a nuclear conflagration.

1 min

Speedboat tries aerobatics and wins

THE IDLER

2 mins

Judge's sexual harassment inquiry resumes

TESTIMONY

1 min

Lotto winner tells of her disbelief watching live draw

IT FEELS UNREAL

1 min

New initiative promotes traditional medicine and conservation in KZN

A groundbreaking initiative that aims to promote the use of traditional medicine while also supporting conservation efforts has been announced for the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve.

2 mins

Urgent action needed after 103 rhinos poached in 3 months

WHILE targeted interventions are showing progress in some areas, South Africa continues to grapple with the scourge of rhino poaching, with 103 rhinos killed across the country in the first three months of 2025.

1 min

PSL general manager and his wife charged with fraud

THE general manager of the Premier Soccer League and his wife appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court in Cape Town yesterday on fraud and money laundering charges.

2 mins

RAMAPHOSA’S TRC INQUIRY A DISTRACTION

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent suggestion to establish a commission of inquiry into why the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) recommendations were not fully implemented is, at best, a well-intentioned misfire - and at worst, another empty gesture in the country's long history of deferred accountability.

1 min

Opportunities await in mature global markets

SOUTH Africa’s unemployment crisis is a national tragedy.

3 mins

EFF defends the rule of law against Sars's VAT instructions

Party seeks to safeguard constitutional governance

4 mins

Oil prices slump after OPEC+ hike

SAUDI Arabia, Russia and six other members of the oil cartel announced over the weekend an output increase of 411 000 barrels a day for June, a month after a similar move had already caused prices to fall.

2 mins

ICJ to rule on genocide case

THE top UN court was yesterday expected to rule in Sudan's case against the United Arab Emirates, which Khartoum accuses of complicity in genocide due to alleged support for rebel forces.

1 min

Ten dead, scores hurt in boat accident

Ten people have died and 70 were hospitalised after strong winds caused boats carrying tourists to capsize at a scenic spot in south-western China, state media said.

1 min

Kardashian ready to confront attackers

KIM Kardashian is ready to “confront” her Paris attackers as the US celebrity prepares to testify in person next week at a trial over an armed robbery of her jewellery in 2016, her lawyers said.

1 min

Shoe thrown at Kenyan president Ruto

KENYA'S President William Ruto fended off a shoe thrown at him during a speech about the cost of living which has been a source of public anger, videos shared on social media showed.

1 min

Ghana’s tech savvy teens turn to fraud

ACCRA

2 mins

India’s push to crush revolt

AFTER India’s Maoist rebels executed his father, accusing him of spying, the young tribal man dropped out of university to join a controversial paramilitary group hunting down the insurgents.

3 mins

South Africa's food prices rise sharply despite easing inflation

WHILE the latest data for South Africa showed an easing in inflation, food prices in the country saw a sharp increase.

2 mins

Pastor in court after fake hijacking claim

A 68-YEAR-OLD Limpopo-based pastor is expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court, facing a charge of furnishing false information to the police.

1 min

More delays in Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

DRAGGING ON

1 min

Pay back the Budget money, EFF tells Finance Minister Godongwana

“WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE’

2 mins

KZN Health MEC calls for urgent return to HIV treatment for over 200 000 ARV defaulters

KWAZULU-NATAL Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has sounded the alarm over the growing number of people in the province who have been defaulting on life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, revealing that more than 200000 individuals are believed to have stopped taking their medication.

1 min

I carry the spirit of our nation with me, says Miss World SA on her India trip

PAGEANT

1 min

US foreign policy 'driven by critical minerals, not oil'

FORMER South African ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled from Washington in March after accusing US President Donald ‘Trump of promoting white supremacy, has warned that a new global conflict is under way, not over oil, but over critical minerals.

2 mins

Rethabile Khumalo launches a mobile kitchen in memory of her mother

SINGER and entrepreneur Rethabile Khumalo has opened her very first mobile kitchen.

1 min

Tallow takes TikTok by storm: unveiling the skincare secret everyone's raving about

IN RECENT weeks, a new trend has taken TikTok by storm, giving a fresh spin to the age-old fat derived from cattle: beef tallow.

2 mins

Understanding digital overload and how it affects your mental health

HOW many hours do you think you spend on your phone every day?

1 min

THE WHO'S GAME-CHANGING GUIDELINES AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

IN A significant move to combat the widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines aimed at preventing this harmful custom and providing better care for survivors.

2 mins

SA losing billions to illegal tobacco and alcohol trade

SOUTH Africa’s economy continues to be threatened by illegal trade, specifically in sectors such as alcohol, tobacco, food items, pharmaceuticals, agri-chemicals, counterfeiting, mining, and wildlife trafficking.

2 mins

Eskom optimistic about winter 2025 amidst operational setbacks

Power utility outlines comprehensive plan to ensure amore stable electricity supply

2 mins

IMF warns of global debt levels surge amid rising geopolitical tensions and trade volatility

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a stark warning in its April 2025 outlook, highlighting the critical issue of rising global debt.

2 mins

Corporate governance is not compliance, It is character

AS A YOUNG professional, I walked into my first board meeting armed with a flagged and highlighted board-pack, binders of governance codes and well-studied charters, convinced that compliance was enough.

3 mins

Government intervention crucial for a sustainable steel industry in South Africa

LOUIS Brandeis famously coined the phrase, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant”.

3 mins

Maize crop forecast rises as farmers welcome promising outlook for 2025

THE Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) has revealed a brighter outlook for South Africa's maize farmers, forecasting a commercial maize crop of 14.664 million tons for 2025.

2 mins

Mashatile proposes war rooms to tackle economic challenges in South Africa

TRANSFORMATION FUND

2 mins

TheBrief

TURKCELL KEEN TO PRESENT ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY AGAINST MTN IN COURT

2 mins

Peabody raises concerns over acquisition of Anglo American coal assets due to Moranbah issues

PEABODY Energy has taken a significant step in its planned acquisition of steelmaking coal assets from Anglo American Plc by formally notifying the latter of a Material Adverse Change (MAC).

2 mins

Navigating challenges: The resilience of South Africa's real estate

SOUTH Africa's real estate sector continues to defy global and local market volatility and retail property in particular reflects a \"remarkable recovery,\" according to Standard Bank Real Estate Coverage senior vice president Simon Fiford.

2 mins

Gold Fields acquires Australia's Gold Road Resources in a higher A$3.7 billion deal

GOLD Fields has clinched the deal to acquire full control of Gold Road Resources after offering terms worth A$3.7 billion, higher than the A$3.3bn offer that the Australia-listed mining group initially rejected.

2 mins

Tech Informative conversations should form part of the delivery of technology

TECHNOLOGY has been a force for good and bad. Sadly, we have hyped mostly the good and shied away from highlighting its negative elements.

3 mins

Cyber threat: Understand the difference between disaster recovery and cyber recovery

AS RANSOMWARE attacks become increasingly common, businesses must understand the difference between traditional Disaster Recovery (DR) and Cyber Recovery strategies.

2 mins

Facing a broken economy, Ghana's tech-sawy teens turn to fraud

FROM mobile money fraud to investment scams, a murky digital underworld is sucking in minors, many working from their bedrooms or small kiosks operating in plain sight

2 mins

Snyman praises team effort

THE Blitzboks haven't fired on all cylinders this season, but this past weekend they delivered an outstanding performance that brought them the SVNS World Championship title in Los Angeles.

2 mins

Bulls must strike a balance between forwards and backs

LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

1 min

Willemse to get ton up in double delight

LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

2 mins

Halcyon day for KZN racing

DAVID THISELTON

4 mins

Let It Be Said to make a statement

LET IT BE SAID shapes up as the best bet on a trappy card when he lines up against eight rivals in the R165 000 Perfectly Placed A Stakes over 1400m, billed as the penultimate event on the 9race programme at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth this afternoon.

3 mins

I like the pressure, says Gaston Sirino

THE autumn sun shone brightly over Kaizer Chiefs’ base in Naturena yesterday morning, as midfielder Gaston Sirino soaked it all in. The Uruguayan addressed the media with confidence.

2 mins

Alexander-Arnold confirms 'hardest decision'

TRENT Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season, describing it as the “hardest decision” of his life ahead of a widely expected move to Real Madrid.

2 mins

Kane celebrates first trophy with Munich

ENGLAND striker Harry Kane said it feels sweet to finally end his career-long trophy drought on Sunday, after securing the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in his second season at the German club.

2 mins

AmaZulu FC embarks on a new era with PRIMO

AMAZULU FC are plotting a fresh chapter both on the pitch and in the boardroom.

2 mins

Champions League battle intensifies

WITH Liverpool's dominance having turned the race for the English Premier League title into a doddle, at least the dash for Uefa Champions League football next season has given footie fans something to get excited about in the run-in.

2 mins

Piastri's rise and Ferrari struggles

MCLAREN continued their dominant run in the 2025 season with a brilliant one-two finish at the Miami Grand Prix.

2 mins

MNGQITHI CONFIDENT GOLDEN ARROWS CAN BOUNCE BACK

GOLDEN ARROWS CAN BOUNCE BACK

2 mins

Rabada cleared to play in Test Championship fina

PROTEAS' bowler Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to return to action, and will be eligible for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia next month.

1 min

Can Sharks secure home play-off spot against Ospreys?

THE Sharks have managed to scrape through their two previous matches overseas to bag some important wins as they continue to push for a strong finish during the regular season of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

2 mins

Barcelona is just not all about Yamal, says Inter's Bastoni

INTER Milan's Alessandro Bastoni has called on his team to pull out all the stops in their bid to contain Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in the Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg at San Siro on Tuesday.

2 mins

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