Avatar photo

By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Daily news update: Covid-19 stats, petrol price and Bobby Motaung in hot water

An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.


Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news:

Covid-19 update: KZN records highest number of new cases overnight

As of Monday evening, a total of 516,862 confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced.

The country also recorded 173 new Covid-19 related deaths: 20 from Eastern Cape, 37 from Gauteng, 12 from KwaZulu-Natal, 31 from Western Cape, 28 from the North West and 45 from Mpumalanga. This brings the cumulative number of deaths to 8,539.

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased. The number of recoveries currently stands at 358,037 which translates to a recovery rate of 69%,” said Mkhize.

Petrol price to go up by 5c a litre, diesel by 45c

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe announces the adjustment of fuel prices based on current local and international factors with effect from 5 August 2020.

Based on current local and international factors, the fuel prices for August 2020 will be adjusted as follows:

  • Petrol (both 93 ULP and LRP): five cents per litre (5.00 c/l) increase
  • Petrol (both 95 ULP and LRP): five cents per litre (5.00 c/l) increase;
  • Diesel (0.05% sulphur): forty five cents per litre (45.00 c/l) increase;
  • Diesel (0.005% sulphur): forty five cents per litre (45.00 c/l) increase;
  • Illuminating Paraffin (wholesale): thirty nine cents per litre (39.00 c/l) increase;
  • SMNRP for IP: fifty two cents per litre (52.00 c/l) increase; and
  • Maximum LP Gas Retail Price: four cents per kilogram (4.00 c/kg) decrease.

ANC MP Boy Mamabolo to face ‘disciplinary steps’ over journalist threat

Boy Mamabolo during the 2020 State of the Nation address (Sona). | Image: Supplied

The ANC in parliament is poised to act against one of its MPs who threatened to shoot a journalist.

ANC parliamentary chief whip Pemmy Majodina said in statement that a decision was made to institute an internal disciplinary process against ANC MP Boy Mamabolo, who threatened Sunday World journalist Ngwako Malatji.

In a voice recording which Sunday World released, Mamabolo can be heard saying he will shoot Malatji after he questioned him about tweets criticising President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reinstatement of the alcohol ban. Mamabolo called it a victory for the EFF.

Norma Gigaba heads to High Court to challenge her arrest, bring civil claims

Norma Gigaba. Photo: Instagram

Norma Gigaba, who has been charged with malicious damage to property and crimen injuria, will approach the High Court to challenge her arrest.

Gigaba, the wife of former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, briefly appeared in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria on Monday morning.

She was arrested after she allegedly caused extensive damage to a multimillion-rand Mercedes Benz driven by her husband.

Gigaba is being represented by advocates Dali Mpofu, SC, and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, SC.

What you need to know about endometriosis

Endometriosis is a painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus, the endometrium, grows outside your uterus.

Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. It can happen that the endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs.

Endometriosis can cause pain, especially during your period. Fertility problems also may develop. Fortunately, effective treatments are available.

Eskom wants the Guptas and other former execs to pay back R3.8bn

Ajay, left, and Atul Gupta. File photo

Power utility Eskom, alongside the Special Investigating Unit, has issued a summons in the High Court in Pretoria in an attempt to recover funds from former Eskom executives, former board members, members of the Gupta family and their associates.

In a statement, the power utility highlighted that the funds were lost in a “concerted effort to divert financial resources from Eskom to illegally benefit the Gupta family and entities controlled by the said family and their associates during their 2015-16 acquisition of the operations of Optimum Coal Holdings (OCH) Limited”.

The claim for damages for Eskom relates to R3.8 billion in funds diverted from Eskom to allegedly help the Gupta family members and their associates to acquire the operations of OCH, which owned Optimum Coal Mining, that supplied the Hendrina power station with coal.

The matter of my daughter’s father needs to end; it’s been six years – Kelly Khumalo on Senzo Meyiwa

Kelly Khumalo’s ‘Life With Kelly’ will be available to binge on Showmax from Thursday, 6 August 2020 | Image: Supplied

The latest episode of Devi Sankaree Govender’s television show, Devi, saw Kelly Khumalo open up to the investigative journalist about her relationship with the late Senzo Meyiwa.

In a preview of the episode, which aired on 31 July, the musician talked about how the public perceived her as a villain because she had a relationship with a married man.

“I’m in a relationship with a guy that just recently left his wife for me. So already I’m the villain, people were ready to see me as the guilty person,” Khumalo said.

She also spoke about “that” Russian accent in her Instagram video and her highly-publicised separation from her sister, Zandile Khumalo Gumede.

Robin Peterson – My cricket hero called me a ‘k*****’

Robin Peterson celebrates a wicket for South Africa during a Test match against Australia in Centurion in 2014. Picture: Getty Images

Former Proteas all-rounder and current Warriors coach Robin Peterson says he felt like he was one of the first black players to be ‘planted’ in South African domestic cricket after unity, and he has recalled one of his first experiences when a racial slur was used against him by his favourite cricketer growing up.

Peterson made his first-class debut in January 1999 for Eastern Province B and went on to play 183 franchise games for the Warriors, Cape Cobras and Knights, as well as representing South Africa in 15 Tests, 79 ODIs and 21 T20 Internationals.

“I was probably one of the first players of colour to be planted in the system,” Peterson said in a webinar for the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation on racism in cricket.

Chiefs boss blasted for partying during lockdown

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung seems to have violated one of the lockdown regulations recently.

A video of the Chiefs boss standing in the room while four women are dancing in a lounge area of a house has surfaced on social media.

Motaung is standing behind a sofa while the ladies are singing and dancing while whiskey bottles and a hooker pipe seats on the table with music playing.

Non of the people seen in the video are wearing a mask.

According to lockdown regulations everyone should stay at home and avoid social gatherings.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits