Table of contents for 2025-12-29 in Mercury

Fifteen civilians killed at Bondi Beach is definitely a crime. No debate. No excuses. That rule does not change when the dead are Palestinians. In Gaza, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed through bombing, starvation, mass displacement, and the destruction of hospitals and schools. International law is clear: killing civilians and collectively punishing a population are war crimes, no matter who commits them. Calling it “self-defence” is not justification. It is permission. It is complicity. It is the deliberate determination that certain lives are worthless and may be classified as acceptable losses under policy or military doctrine. If civilian deaths are a crime in Bondi but a discussion point in Gaza, the problem isn’t complexity. It is hypocrisy. It is double standards. Period.…

The attempts by the National Freedom Party (NFP) to remove its only member in the provincial legislature, Mbali Shinga, have failed. The NFP had written to the KwaZulu-Natal-Natal Legislature Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce informing her that Shinga is suspended and is barred from representing the party in any capacity and that the party will send a new member. The Speaker’s office stated that the conditions that could lead to such a step being taken by the legislature have not been satisfied by the party. The party is taking action against Shinga, who is the MEC for Social Development, after she defied the party and voted against the motion of no confidence brought by the MKP against Premier Thami Ntuli. She voted against the motion, which led to the motion failing…

The family of Siyabonga Patrick Mzulwini is appealing to the public for assistance after he was swept away by floodwaters in Amanzimtoti during severe storms on Sunday night and remains missing. His eldest daughter, Luyanda Dube, said the incident has left the family and their neighbours devastated. “Our family and neighbours did not get to celebrate Christmas. We are deeply hurt and we’re hoping that he may be found,” she said. Mzulwini was among five people traveling back from an entertainment event for a braai when their vehicle broke down on a low-lying bridge amid heavy flooding. According to the two survivors who later spoke to the family, Mzulwini got out of the vehicle in an attempt to assist. “My dad got out and tried to push the car, but…

WHEN water infrastructure projects stall, it is never officials who feel the impact first, it is families. Children arrive at school without water. Clinics struggle to operate safely. Small businesses cannot function. Households are forced to organise their lives around uncertainty. That is why delays in critical water infrastructure should never be normalised. This reality is precisely why the government has taken a deliberate decision to unblock and finalise all incomplete water infrastructure projects across the country. Communities cannot continue to wait while partially built assets stand idle. Completing what has already been started is the fastest and most responsible way to restore services, protect public investment and rebuild trust. I recently conducted an oversight visit to the Brits Water Treatment Works in the Madibeng Local Municipality with Deputy Minister…

As 2025 draws to a close, Egypt has reaffirmed its position as a key mediator in the Gaza crisis, pairing intensive diplomacy to sustain a fragile ceasefire with a large-scale humanitarian operation that has delivered hundreds of thousands of tons of aid and winter relief supplies to the war-torn enclave. From hosting negotiations that led to the October ceasefire to facilitating aid flows through Rafah and rejecting forced displacement, Cairo’s approach has combined political mediation, security considerations, and sustained relief co-ordination, analysts said. Egypt’s mediation efforts began to bear fruit in October, when indirect negotiations hosted in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh culminated in a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect on October 10, in co-ordination with fellow mediators, the US, Qatar, and Türkiye. The…

BUJUMBURA: A China-supported solar street lighting project has been completed in Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, aligning with the African country’s vision to promote clean energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development, senior officials said. The project was implemented along Mao Zedong Boulevard in the Mukaza District of Bujumbura. Supported by China’s Sichuan Province, the boulevard is now equipped with 101 solar-powered streetlights that automatically switch on and off according to natural light levels. The Burundian government expressed deep gratitude to China for its support during a ceremony marking the project’s completion. “This modern and sustainable infrastructure is an important step in the modernisation of our commercial capital (Bujumbura),” said Martin Ndayizeye, permanent secretary at the Burundian Ministry of Energy and Mining, Industry, Trade, and Tourism. Praising China as “a strategic and…

MARIO Marinica was not in charge of Zimbabwe when the Warriors nearly put a spanner in the works for Bafana Bafana’s quest for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But the Romanian would know just how much his team loves to make things hard for their neighbours across the Limpopo. Marinica would have been told of the pride Zimbabwe felt in stalling South Africa’s qualification for the global showpiece with that draw at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium in the penultimate match of the qualifiers. He will thus be hard-pressed to ensure the Warriors deliver yet another stellar showing, this time at the Africa Cup of Nations finals. Zimbabwe and Bafana clash in a final Group B match in Marrakesh tonight, with a spot in the knockout phase at…

As the New Year looms closer and we all start fiddling with resolutions, whether it’s to eat better, move more, or simply to feel good in our own skin, one simple strategy is gaining momentum: food pairings. Not the fancy, curated kind you’d expect at upscale restaurants, but practical combinations of everyday ingredients that can dramatically improve your health. This buzzworthy topic recently found its way into the spotlight thanks to an Instagram reel by Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist known for his no-nonsense approach to nutrition. His video broke down accessible food pairings that boost nutrient absorption, stabilise energy levels and support overall wellness. It’s not about overhauling your pantry, just tweaking how you combine the staples you already have. Let’s dive into these combinations and why they work,…

I INVITE you to think about the following this week. Respond, please, offering your ideas: There is beauty and brutality interwoven in every individual life and into every family. Thankfully, the ever-present beauty – if you have eyes for it – softens the brutality, making it easier to bear. Forgive everyone everything every time. But know what to forgive and what to remember. Know what to forget. Remembering can become a guide so that past hurtful situations are not repeated. Most of us have more possessions than we need. Decide what to keep and treasure and what to give away or sell. This is not really about stuff. It’s about a mindset of simplification; it’s about shredding and shedding. In survival mode, we tend to hold on to far more…

Frustrating, the Mobeni Crematorium has been a major concern for the community of Chatsworth and surrounding areas, especially after the eThekwini Municipality’s promise to have it operational by end September 2025. As of June 2025 the municipality’s allocated R14 million for repairs, including replacing the furnace and upgrading the facility. To date sadly nothing has been done. The Crematorium has two non-functional furnaces shut down due to an expired Air Emission Licence and environmental health risks for a number of years. Residents are outraged demanding accountability and have accused the municipality of mismanagement and neglect suggesting privatisation as an alternative. What has become a matter of great concern within the funeral industry has been the evidence of an apparent lack of respect by the municipality for the rights and feelings…

The recent festive season statistics from KwaZulu-Natal’s transport authorities cannot be ignored. The revelation that over 100 motorists were arrested for various violations on a single day, December 26, with Port Shepstone (38), Newcastle, and Groutville (32 each) leading this grim tally, paints a picture of a province at war with its own road users. This is not a seasonal spike; it is a symptom of a deep-seated crisis. MEC Sboniso Duma’s further disclosure that since August, a staggering 2 600 motorists have been arrested for traffic violations confirms a disturbing culture of recklessness that demands an immediate and unyielding response. While the visible policing and enforcement blitzes that yielded these arrests must be commended, they are ultimately a reactive measure. What KZN requires now is a twin strategy of…

Amani Abdramane bustled around her donkey in the makeshift camp where she lives in the Central African Republic. In this northern part of the country, on the edge of the Sahel, the sun is scorching and sand is swallowing the last traces of vegetation. The 18-year-old adjusted a pink scarf covering her head and shoulders and pondered what she wanted from Sunday’s general election that will choose local and regional officials, members of parliament and a new president. “I hope the person I vote for brings peace,” she said of the seven candidates vying to become head of state. They include President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who is seeking a third consecutive term. Displaced by decades of conflict, young people like Abdramane who live in camps around the town of Birao in…

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published at the weekend that the US, Israel and Europe were waging “total war” against his country. “In my opinion, we are at total war with the US, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Pezeshkian told the official site of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, six months after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran. France, Britain and Germany were behind the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September connected to its nuclear programme. “This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq. On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult,” he added, referring to the 1980-88 conflict between the neighbouring countries that claimed hundreds of thousands of…

THE experienced winger Jade Stighling has signed for the Boland Cavaliers after a two-year stint with the Seattle Seawolves in the USA’s Major League Rugby tournament. The Johannesburg-born Stighling has played for both the Bulls and the Pumas but has never quite cracked the big time. He is a sturdily built wing at 1.84m and 93kg and will be hoping a period with the on-the-rise Cavaliers can give his career a boost. The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Wellington team, who enjoyed a strong Currie Cup Premier Division season in 2025, finishing in the top four after qualifying via the SA Cup. Boland coach Hawies Fourie believes the well-travelled Stighling is the type of player who can make a significant impact on his team. “Jade is a…

AFRICAN Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi will make his first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations when hosts Morocco play Zambia today, coach Walid Regragui has confirmed. “What he has done to come back is extraordinary. “What I can say is that Achraf will play tomorrow,” Regragui said on Sunday in Rabat, on the eve of Morocco’s final group match. “Whether he starts or not, it will be his first match at the AFCON. “What we want – because we want to go as far as possible – is for Achraf to progress with the team and for us to keep him for the whole competition.” Hakimi has not played since suffering an ankle injury while on duty for Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of November and was…

The sun is shining, the days are long, and beach season is officially here. As you prepare your summer wardrobe and book those holiday getaways, one appointment often jumps to the top of the beauty list: the bikini wax. It’s no secret why waxing is the go-to for many ladies, especially when hitting the beach or poolside. Unlike shaving, which gives you prickly regrowth after a day or two, a professional bikini wax removes hair from the root, offering weeks of silky-smooth confidence. It's the ultimate time-saver, freeing you from daily razor checks so you can focus on enjoying those summer moments. But the secret to maintaining that flawless, irritation-free finish isn't just in the wax itself but in the aftercare. Your skin is extra sensitive right after a wax,…

The South African Communist Party (SACP) condemns the military intervention by the US military in northern Nigeria. The attacks have ignited widespread concern among countries in the African continent. This military intervention comes as no surprise given the recent series of public statements and rhetoric by the US government intimating their intentions to deploy troops in Nigeria under the guise of protecting Christians against ISIS affiliated groups. The US government has, for a long time, made several unsolicited and unwanted imperialistic military interventions in many countries under the guise of one supposed “noble” cause or the other, leading to social instability, economic and political devastation for the countries involved while yielding remarkable profits for US companies. In all these interventions, there has only ever been one beneficiary: the US government…

I am submitting a proposal to the GNU led by President Ramaphosa. Following my viewing of the movie Kinyarwanda on YouTube, which focuses on forgiveness in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide in former Belgian colony Rwanda, I was inspired. The film sheds light on a history that mirrors the events in the Belgian Congo and in South West Africa also by the Belgians. Rwanda has moved on, so should SA. A quote from the movie resonated with me, and I would like to share it: “Forgiveness is not the suppression of anger. Forgiveness is asking for a miracle, the ability to see through someone's mistake to the truth that lies in all our hearts. Forgiveness is not always easy. And yet at times it is more painful than the…

KwaZulu-Natal police are on the hunt for a gang of four males following a murder and robbery that unfolded in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg, on the evening of Boxing Day. African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) in KZN chairperson Mbongeni Skhakhane was killed during the incident. According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Magwaza, police in Hilton are investigating a murder and house robbery. “It is reported that four males accosted a 50-year-old male with a firearm outside his house. They forced him inside the house, where there were other family members. He was shot twice, after which the suspects took valuable items from inside the house. The suspects left the scene with the deceased’s vehicle,” Magwaza said. He said no arrests have been made. AFASA expressed deep shock and outrage…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was to sit down yesterday with Donald Trump and seek to secure the US president’s stamp of approval for a new proposal to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia. The 20-point plan, which emerged from weeks of intense US-Ukraine negotiations, lacks Moscow’s approval, and the face-to-face in Florida comes in the wake of a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv. The meeting, to be hosted by Trump at his opulent Mar-a-Lago residence at 1pm yesterday according to the White House, will be the pair’s first in-person encounter since October, when the US president refused to grant Zelenskiy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles. During a stopover in Canada on at the weekend, Zelenskiy said he hoped the talks would be “very constructive” and said…

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro underwent a medical procedure at the weekend to treat recurrent hiccups he has been dealing with for months, according to his medical team. The 70-year-old ex-president, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, had been released from prison last Wednesday to undergo surgery for a groin hernia at the DF Star Hospital in Brasilia. That surgery was performed without incident, and Bolsonaro remained hospitalised for several days for evaluation. During that time, Bolsonaro’s medical team determined it was necessary to perform an anesthetic block of the phrenic nerve – which controls the diaphragm – to treat his recurring hiccups. Bolsonaro’s doctor, Claudio Birolini, told reporters last week that the procedure involved locating the nerve using an ultrasound machine and then injecting…

HELSINKI: A commercial aircraft carrying about 150 people slid off the runway while landing at Kittila Airport in Finland’s Lapland region at the weekend amid stormy weather, Finnish airport operator Finavia said. The aircraft came to a stop in deep snow, and no injuries were reported, Finavia said. The operator confirmed to local media that the flight was arriving from Geneva, Switzerland, but did not identify the airline. In a separate incident, a smaller aircraft with 10 people on board also hit a snowbank at Kittila at the weekend, with no injuries reported, according to Finnish daily Ilta-Sanomat. Finavia confirmed the incident. Finavia said recovery operations to remove the aircraft caused delays to other flights at Kittila. Stormy conditions also disrupted air traffic at Rovaniemi and Ivalo, also located in…

THE COSAFA rivalry between Bafana Bafana and Zimbabwe will intensify when the two teams lock horns at Stade de Marrakesh tonight for a place in the AFCON knockout stage. Bafana are currently second in Group B with three points, meaning a win or a draw against the third-placed Warriors, who have just one point after two rounds of matches, will be enough to steer them to the promised land. Zimbabwe, however, could still secure a spot in the last 16 if they beat Bafana and finish either second in the group or as one of the four best third-placed teams across the group stage. Given all those permutations, the two sides are expected to throw everything at each other for a place in the next round. Below, we look at…