Daily news update: Malema court case, red notices for Guptas, Russia-Ukraine conflict

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Daily news update 28 February

Prosecutor quits in Julius Malema’s firearm discharge case

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and co-accused Adriaan Snyman’s illegal discharge of firearm case was postponed by a day in the East London Magistrate’s Court after the prosecutor resigned.

Malema faces five charges, including the unlawful possession of a firearm, for discharging a rifle at the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium, Mdantsane, in 2018. Snyman faces two charges.

The incident was captured on camera with the footage showing Malema allegedly discharging what appeared to be an automatic assault rifle during the celebrations.

Over 100 civilians killed in Ukraine war, including seven children: UN

The UN human rights chief said on Monday at least 102 civilians, including seven children, had been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded five days ago, warning true numbers could be far higher.

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet said her office had recorded 406 civilian casualties in Ukraine, including 102 deaths, since Russia began its full-scale attack last Thursday.

“Most of these civilians were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket systems, and airstrikes,” she said, warning “the real figures are, I fear, considerably higher”.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the suffering in Ukraine was widespread.

Ramaphosa appoints Andrea Johnson as new head of Investigating Directorate

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed advocate Andrea Johnson as the new head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate with effect from 1 March.  
  
Johnson replaces advocate Hermione Cronje who last year requested to vacate her office before her term ends.

According to the Presidency, Johnson is a senior deputy director in the NPA with more than 25 years’ experience, including in district, regional and high court prosecutions.

Interpol issues red notices for Atul and Rajesh Gupta – report

Interpol has issued red notices for Atul and Rajesh Gupta, two of the three infamous brothers allegedly behind the state capture project in South Africa.

Red notices have not, however, been issued against their wives, according to a News24 report.

In July 2021, the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said that red notices had been issued for circulation among law enforcement entities of Interpol member states in respect of four of eight accused before the Bloemfontein Regional Court.

This is in relation to the R25 million fraud and money laundering case involving a Gupta-linked company, Nulane Investment.

Contentious trophy hunting quotas for black rhino and leopard announced

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has announced the trophy hunting quotas in South Africa this year for black rhino, leopard and elephant.

DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy said this year’s quotas were a “deferral” of last year’s species allocations.

Hunters may hunt 10 leopard, the department said, adding this number was “informed by robust data generated through a sophisticated national leopard monitoring programme”.

Leopard may only be hunted where populations are stable or increasing, and only males seven years of age or older may be hunted.

Zim truckers want to sue Operation Dudula leaders – but can’t find them

Legal representatives for the Zimbabwean Truckers Association say they are trying to serve papers on the leaders of the Operation Dudula (‘Push away’) movement to stop them intimidating and harassing foreigners, but cannot locate them.

The Dudula movement has alarmed foreigners in South Africa to the point where a number of African embassies are understood to have urged the government to rein in a disturbing xenophobic streak that has resurfaced in South Africa in recent months, egged on by politicians.

“I have been instructed by the Zimbabwean Truckers Association to take legal action to challenge the acts of intimidation against foreigners during Operation Dudula,” says Advocate Simba Chitando.

Sitole leaving Saps not enough to address policing challenges – Popcru

News of National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole’s resignation, after a mutual agreement with President Cyril Ramaphosa, has exposed the sheer amount of work required to bring stability to the South African Police Service (Saps).

This is according to a statement released by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), which emphasised the internal need to prevent any future efforts to delegitimise the state, security cluster, and the country’s democratic system.

However, “the removal of individual personalities is on its own is not a sufficient enough remedy in adequately addressing the deep-rooted challenges faced by policing in South Africa”, Popcru said.

At least 13 lives lost in Gauteng weekend crashes

A Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP) report from Friday 25 February to Sunday 27 February revealed that 12 car accidents took place in the province, which left at least 13 people dead.

Most of these fatal accidents resulted in deaths of pedestrians, according to GTP figures.

Four fatal accidents were recorded on Friday. Among these including a 17-year-old pedestrian from Dlamini, Soweto.

Gauteng Traffic Police only recorded one accident on Saturday, which was reported to be a hit and run.

The incident left an adult pedestrian fatally wounded on Pretoria Main Road in Wynberg.

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