---
title: "While you were sleeping: 09 February 2016"
description: "Sierra Leone free of ebola, Bloomberg mulls entering presidential race, and Mercedes sober about chances."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "John Stupart"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-while-you-were-sleeping-09-february-2016/"
published: "2016-02-09T06:04:19"
updated: "2016-02-09T06:04:53"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 744
---

# While you were sleeping: 09 February 2016

> Sierra Leone free of ebola, Bloomberg mulls entering presidential race, and Mercedes sober about chances.

By John Stupart · Published 9 February 2016, 08:04 SAST · Updated 9 February 2016, 08:04 SAST

## Content

| \| \\| *Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.”*  –**D.H. Lawrence** \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \| |
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| \| \\| # Story of the Day \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| ![Image](//gallery.mailchimp.com/6170d6a6d93cac57e83ba137f/images/c5a7b24c-80db-4645-bf54-5642d0842053.jpg) \\| \\| --- \\| \\| [**Port Elizabeth: Home Affairs risks contempt of court after missing refugee centre deadline**](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-home-affairs-risking-contempt-of-court-after-missing-pe-refugee-centre-deadline/) After a protracted legal battle, the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office was to open its doors on Tuesday morning, as ordered by the Supreme Court of Appeal. But those doors will remain firmly closed leaving thousands of asylum seekers vulnerable. The department of Home Affairs is in real danger of being held in contempt of court. By SIMON ALLISON. \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| # While you were sleeping \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **Sierra Leone done with Ebola** Sierra Leone has discharged its final patient infected with Ebola. A six-week countdown has begun which should lead to the country being able to declare itself officially free of the virus. That said, the World Health Organisation is cautious about 42 days without a scare, as the final patient had come into contact with multiple people before being hospitalised, many of whom have not come forward for treatment. [Read More](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-sierra-leone-discharges-last-known-ebola-patient) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **Bloomberg considering 2016 presidential run** Former New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is thinking about running for president. Bloomberg announced he was considering "all options", but would possibly run as an independent candidate for the 2016 elections. Bloomberg cited the "banal" level of debate among all candidates as a strong motivator for his possible running. That said, the US voter has traditionally been irrationally hostile to independent challengers, generally opting for Democrat or Republican candidates regardless of spray tans or old age. [Read More](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-former-nyc-mayor-bloomberg-says-eyeing-2016-run-for-president-ft) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **Earthquake in Wellington, New Zealand** A magnitude 5.7 earthquake shuddered through New Zealand's capital city today. The epicentre was 32km from St Arnaud and registered at a depth of 62km. Wellington residents, although they felt the tremors, were not seriously affected, with zero casualties listed so far. [Read More](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-earthquake-measuring-5.7-magnitude-felt-in-new-zealand-capital) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **Mercedes sober about 2016 F1 season** Mercedes engine head Andy Cowell has told reporters that nobody in Mercedes team is expecting to win the championship. In addition, Cowell noted the team expected to be beaten by Ferrari and seriously threatened by McLaren this year. The ongoing developments by Honda, in particular, have Mercedes worried this season, which kicks off in Australia on the 20th March. [Read More](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-mercedes-expect-mclaren-to-raise-their-game) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\|  \| \| --- \|\| \\| # In Numbers \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **28** \\| \\| --- \\|\\| The percentage of survey respondents who worked in IT who actively hid their profession from friends and family. This was so as to avoid having to engage in tech support. \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| # Facts of the Day \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **Today sees the Mining Indaba shift into high gear.**The agenda is as full as a Chinese copper shipment.  **Fact of the day:** Star Wars: The Force Awakens cost $50 million more for the marketing and advertising than production ($200 million). \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| # Weather \\| \\| --- \\|\\| # Financial Data \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| BFN: min: 18° max: 32°, sunny CPT: min: 19° max: 35°, cloudy DBN: min: 21° max: 29°, sunnyEL: min: 18° max: 26°, cloudy JHB: min: 15° max: 28°, rainy KIM: min: 20° max: 34°, cloudy NLP: min: 14° max: 31°, cloudy PMB: min: 11° max: 28°, cloudy PKN: min: 16° max: 28°, rainy PE: min: 18° max: 25°, sunny PTA: min: 18° max: 32°, rainy \\| \\| --- \\|\\| Oil=$33.76 Gold=$1,194.70 Platinum=$924.50 R/$=16.14 R/€=18.03 R/£=23.26 $/€=1.11 JSE All Share=49,429.59 DJIA=15,861.11 FTSE 100=5,671.51 : [Source](http://emma.thewww.dailymaverick.co.za/servlet/link/3890/618590/129788333/3233800) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| # Now on Daily Maverick \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\|  \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \|\| \\| **FEATURED** [Port Elizabeth: Home Affairs risks contempt of court after missing refugee centre deadline](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-home-affairs-risking-contempt-of-court-after-missing-pe-refugee-centre-deadline/) By SIMON ALLISON.[Bua Mzansi: Preparing for the next Public Protector](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-bua-mzansi-preparing-for-the-next-public-protector/) By GREG NICOLSON.[Missing in inaction: Inspector General of Intelligence and Information Regulator](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-missing-in-inaction-inspector-general-of-intelligence-and-information-regulator/) By ALISON TILLEY.[The illegals’ guide to crossing the South African border](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-the-illegals-guide-to-crossing-the-south-african-border/) By BHEKI C. SIMELANE[The Forgotten Half: What about the students who didn’t make it to matric?](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-the-forgotten-half-what-about-the-students-who-didnt-make-it-to-matric/) By PIPPA GREEN.[Football: Tokyo, Out of Africa](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-football-tokyo-out-of-africa/) By ISMAIL LAGARDIEN.[ICG: The Not-So-Frozen Conflicts on Russia’s Borders](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-09-icg-the-not-so-frozen-conflicts-on-russias-borders/) By INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP.[NERSA hearings: Thousands oppose Eskom’s price increases](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-nersa-hearings-thousands-oppose-eskoms-price-increases/) By JOANNE TAYLOR.[Four questions SA Rugby must answer about the Jurie Roux saga](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-four-questions-sa-rugby-must-answer-about-the-jurie-roux-saga/) By ANTOINETTE MULLER.**OPINIONS**[Op-Ed: Marius Fransman's sexual assault charges - why the delay?](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-op-ed-marius-fransmans-sexual-assault-charges-why-the-delay/) By MARIANNE THAMM  [Op-Ed: Government needs private sector to refresh SA Connect](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-op-ed-government-needs-private-sector-to-refresh-sa-connect/) By MARIAN SHINN  [Video: Evita's Free Speech - Episode 20](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-08-evitas-free-speech-episode-20/) By PIETER-DIRK UYS.  [Ivo Vegter: Eskom’s problems are of its own making](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-02-09-eskoms-problems-are-of-its-own-making/) By Ivo Vegter.  [Tokelo Nhlapo: ‘F\*\*\* white people’ is an appropriate expression of black pain](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-02-09-f-white-people-is-an-appropriate-expression-of-black-pain/)  [Marianne Thamm: Malema vs Zuma: Oedipus in the House](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-02-08-malema-vs-zuma-oedipus-in-the-house/)  [Pierre de Vos: SONA: Will what should happen, happen?](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-02-08-sona-will-what-should-happen-happen/) \\| \\| --- \\| \| \| --- \| |