Tabla de contenidos para 2026-01-13 en Mercury

The proposed R3.4 trillion merger between mining giants Rio Tinto and Glencore could have significant knock-on effects for South Africa, which has increasingly lost its status as a domicile for major global mining companies. Analysts believe Rio Tinto’s interest in Glencore is largely driven by the Swiss-based group’s strong copper exposure, a commodity that has become central to the global energy transition and the expansion of artificial intelligence. However, the creation of what would be the world’s largest mining company would also have implications for South Africa, where Glencore maintains a sizeable operational and corporate footprint. Andrew Bahlmann, M&A specialist and CEO at Deal Leaders International, said in an interview on Monday that possible strategic repositioning of the merged entity will be impactful for Glencore’s ferrochrome, vanadium and other interests.…

Systemic innovation, rather than isolated technological fixes, will be critical to transforming global energy systems and accelerating a just energy transition, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Unveiled during a Ministerial Dialogue on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at IRENA’s Assembly on Monday, the report finds that meaningful transformation occurs when technological advances are combined with innovation in policy, regulation, market design, system operations and business models. The study highlights 40 emerging and proven innovations, ranging from AI-driven and digital applications to smarter grid planning, decentralised and off-grid solutions, and new financing and ownership models. It concludes that only a systemic, integrated approach can deliver resilient and affordable power systems, expand energy access, and unlock the full potential of the global energy…

Tongaat Hulett’s Zimbabwe-listed unit, Hippo Valley Estates, is increasingly prioritising export markets after adequately supplying the domestic market, despite ongoing logistical, operational and cost pressures weighing on its performance. Tongaat Hulett, the South African agro-processing group, remains under business rescue following accounting and financial difficulties. However, its Zimbabwean operations have continued to operate fully, albeit under challenging conditions marked by infrastructure constraints and rising input costs. Hippo Valley CEO, Tendai Masawi, said on Monday that electricity costs remain a major pressure point for the sugar producer, even as power availability has improved. “While power availability has improved, the business saw an increase in the energy cost due to inconsistency in power supply with the plant experiencing peak hours of maximum demand charged at a higher rate of 23 US cents…

High-flying twins Rebecca and Daniel Major from Reddam House Umhlanga have capped off their schooling careers with eight distinctions each in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) matric exams. They both also featured on the IEB’s Outstanding Achievements List for having achieved within the top 5% in 6 or more subjects and achieved a rating level of 7 in Life Orientation. The school commented that the Major twins delivered what staff describe as a “double major” year, balancing demanding leadership, cultural commitments and academic excellence. “Rebecca served as head girl and led a major school production Anastasia, while Daniel demonstrated consistent leadership through sport and chaired a key student portfolio, reflecting discipline, humility and mutual support,” Reddam House Umhlanga commented in a statement. Both twins plan to study Chemical Engineering at…

South Africa’s labour market is showing subtle signs of movement, but structural barriers to employment persist, a reality underscored by recent labour force data and highlighted by political controversy over unemployment. Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), which tracks the same individuals across consecutive quarters, shows that employment retention has weakened slightly over the past five years. In 2019, “almost everyone who was employed in the third quarter, 94.0% to be exact, was still employed in the fourth quarter.” By 2024, that figure had dipped to “91.8%,” a modest decline of 2.2 percentage points that signals growing labour market mobility. Among those not economically active, the trend is similar. In 2019, “90.7% stayed in that category between Q3 and Q4, compared to 89.0% in 2024.” For the unemployed,…

Google has quietly removed some of its artificial intelligence‑generated health summaries from search results after an international investigation found the feature could put users at risk of harm by offering misleading medical information. The AI‑powered feature, known as Google AI Overviews, is designed to sit at the top of search results with digestible “snapshots” of key information when people ask questions, including about health and medical issues. But a Guardian investigation found that in several cases the summaries were inaccurate and potentially dangerous, giving users false reassurance about serious health matters. In one example, the AI provided incorrect “normal ranges” for liver blood tests without accounting for crucial factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, or nationality. This is especially worth noting because these variables may affect clinical interpretations, including for…

Power utility enters 2026 with an additional 4 400MW of available capacity, better than last year Eskom has entered 2026 with an additional 4 400MW of available generation capacity compared with the same period last year, underpinned by a marked improvement in the performance of its power stations, according to Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane. In a statement on Monday, Marokane said South Africa returns from the holiday break to a structurally stronger system entering 2026 than in five years with the stability reflected not only in structural improvements in the generation fleet, but in fewer emergency interventions and improved maintenance discipline. Marokane outlined that since the results of the recovery plan include Eskom having occasionally pushed the Energy Available Factor (EAF) to 70% on 55 occasions since 2023. Other…

Industry experts have broadly welcomed the landmark 25-year partnership between Transnet SOC Ltd and International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), saying the deal could mark a turning point for South Africa’s struggling port and logistics system. The agreement, officially signed in December, came into effect on 1 January 2026 and paves the way for the strategic redevelopment of Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2. Under the arrangement, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and ICTSI will jointly manage the upgrade and long-term development of the country’s largest container handling facility. Peter Besnard, CEO of the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa), last week said DCT Pier 2 is a critical national asset, handling more than 70% of the Port of Durban’s container throughput and about 46% of South Africa’s…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has urged the government to empower both learners and teachers to use artificial intelligence (AI) as a developmental tool, expressing concern over the country’s lag in AI adoption. Lesufi spoke yesterday at the MTV Innovation Centre ahead of the release of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results. He joined Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube for a ministerial breakfast with the top achievers of the Class of 2025. Gwarube is set to announce the matric results later Monday evening. Addressing the top students, Lesufi praised their dedication and talent. “It’s always exciting to be in the company of these young people who are so gifted. They have the skills and talent to take our country forward. Let’s give them a round of applause — we are…

The PSL Betway Premiership will resume earlier than initially scheduled, with fixtures starting next Monday rather than the previously planned Tuesday. This shift follows Bafana Bafana’s early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco, enabling a swift return to domestic football. Following a disappointing 2-1 round-of-16 loss to Cameroon, the national team has returned home earlier than expected, giving local clubs a two-week window to recover before the competitive resumption. The unplanned break is particularly timely for teams such as Orlando Pirates, which boasts a significant representation in the national squad. The rest period allows players to recover from chronic injuries, ensuring they are fit for upcoming league matches. Sundowns’ fixture change against newly promoted Orbit College, from Tuesday to Monday, is a strategic adjustment ahead…

Kaizer Chiefs have taken a concrete step in their pursuit of TS Galaxy forward Puso Dithejane after making direct contact with the player’s camp, signalling renewed intent to bring the former Amakhosi development product back to Naturena. Dithejane, who has enjoyed a standout campaign, has also been linked with Mamelodi Sundowns, but Chiefs now appear determined not to be left behind in the race for one of the Betway Premiership’s most in-form attackers. The 21-year-old has been a key figure for Galaxy this season, collecting multiple Player of the Match awards and two Player of the Month accolades, form that has inevitably drawn attention from the league’s heavyweights. Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi has now confirmed that Chiefs officials have already made contact, not only with the player but also with…

The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) has raised concerns about the growing trade imbalance between South Africa and its BRICS partners, warning that the bloc has delivered limited economic benefits in its current form. According to a recent article, South Africa’s trade deficit with its BRICS partners has widened by $9.6 billion (about R157 billion), highlighting structural weaknesses in intra-BRICS trade. Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz’s chief economist, on Monday said the grouping’s economic potential remains largely untapped. “The exception is China, with which South Africa has deeper trade relations, though more could be done in agriculture and other sectors of our economy if we had a free trade agreement,” he said. Sihlobo added that the path forward for this challenge is not necessarily to abandon the BRICS bloc, but…

MediCheck, representing over 1 500 affected members, has welcomed Discovery Health's announcement that it will absorb the full cost of a claims processing error rather than pursue recoveries from 16 500 Discovery Health Medical Scheme members. The decision, announced by Discovery Sunday night, follows a week of intensive engagement by MediCheck on behalf of affected members who faced recovery demands – in some cases exceeding R80 000 – for an administration error they did not cause. Discovery Health announced that it will cover the cost of a claims system error that resulted in the overpayment of certain Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) claims during 2025. Affected Discovery Health Medical Scheme members will not be required to repay any amounts related to the error, and no other members of the Scheme…

Towering accordion steps and a fantastical spiral staircase greet visitors to a massive bookstore in northern China’s Tianjin, where its striking interior is a bigger draw for selfie snappers than scholars. Sales of hard-copy books across the country have failed to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, data shows, despite authorities’ efforts to boost domestic consumption and an e-commerce boom. Yet in recent years the number of physical bookshops has “maintained steady growth”, the head of a publishing industry group said last January. “A wave of bookstores with unique characteristics” has emerged, Ai Limin said. Tianjin’s Zhongshuge, which opened in September 2024, on social media draws comparisons to Harry Potter's gothic Hogwarts. “The photos come out looking really beautiful,” said graduate student Li Mengting, who stepped inside to snap some pictures…

South Africans have a legal remedy called “mandament van spolie”, which they can use if they are illegally evicted. The legal tool focuses on restoring possession, but it does not pronounce on the lawfulness of the possession or deal with the merits of a dispute. A mandament van spolie order urgently restores undisturbed possession unconditionally when someone is unlawfully disposed of something, but it cannot be reshaped into a merits-based enquiry. It is a summary remedy designed to restore factual possession to a person who has been unlawfully dispossessed, without regard to the merits of the underlying dispute, the lawfulness of the occupation, or the contractual rights of the parties. The court retains a narrow discretion at the periphery of its application to structure the manner of restoration in a…

The DA in KwaZulu-Natal will have a new provincial leader after Francois Rodgers announced his retirement from politics in 2029. Rodgers, the current Finance MEC under the Government of Provincial Unity, has confirmed his unavailability for a third term as the party prepares to hold an elective conference this year. Although the date has not been announced, the discussions and the speculation on who will replace him have started. On Monday, Rodgers said he will not be available for any position when the province goes to the elective conference, as he has decided to retire from politics. “I will not be making myself available for any position at the provincial congress,” said Rodgers. He was born and raised in Pietermaritzburg 64 years ago but began his political career as a…

FEW FIGURES in South African football have been as visible, as debated and as misunderstood as Bobby Motaung. For over three decades, his presence at Kaizer Chiefs has symbolised authority to some, nepotism to others, and continuity to those who understand the inner workings of the club. ‘Bobsteak’ has been praised, vilified, caricatured and scrutinised – often without context. Yet when the son of Amakhosi boss Kaizer Motaung speaks of his role, the language he uses is not that of power, but of service. “We are custodians,” he says. “We are serving.” That he does not say ‘I’ but rather ‘we’ goes smack against the general notion he is a spoilt son of the boss who sees the club as a “family business” in which his word holds sway. That…