Daily news update: Neil Aggett inquest, DA vs Arthur Fraser and ‘Sandton Tinder swindler’

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Daily news update 05 March 

Court rules apartheid security cops killed Neil Aggett 

 
Forty years after anti-apartheid activist Dr Neil Aggett was found hanging in his cell at the notorious John Vorster Square police station, the Johannesburg High Court has ruled that his death was not a result of suicide. 

Judge Motsamai Makume on Friday delivered judgment in the reopened inquest into Aggett’s death back in 1982. 

Judge Makume ruled that Aggett’s death was a cover-up by the then Security Branch of the South African Police. 

“Having heard all the evidence, I’ve come to the conclusion that Dr Neil Aggett was killed by members of the Security Branch,” he said. 

Sassa clerk in hot water for faking lover’s disability, pocketing R140k in grants 

 
The state is seeking to recoup R140,000 from an administrative clerk at the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) after she fraudulently registered a disability grant for her lover nine years ago. 

An investigation was carried out by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane after an anonymous complaint was lodged with her office in 2019. 

The clerk, Portia Mathenjwa, allegedly used her colleague Lindiwe Mashifane’s username and password, without her knowledge, and registered a fraudulent disability grant for her boyfriend Tshetlhodi Joe Masinga in 2009. Mathenjwa worked at the Mamelodi Sassa office in Tshwane. 

The probe further revealed that she used a hospital patient’s medical records for the grant application. 

Case against ‘Sandton Tinder swindler’ postponed to next week

The case against South Africa’s very own ‘Sandton Tinder Swindler’ has been postponed by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court to next Wednesday for a formal bail application.

Ugandan national Amon Namara was arrested on Wednesday in Sandton after a woman opened a case against him alleging that he had scammed her.

He made a brief appearance in court on Friday.

Namara is reportedly facing charges of money laundering, fraud and theft after allegedly defrauding at least three women of their money on the dating app, Tinder.

DStv confirms ‘The Queen’ has been cancelled 

 
After Ferguson Films denied initial reports that their telenovela had been canned, M-Net has confirmed that The Queen on Mzansi Magic will be no more.  

Twitter was abuzz when entertainment blogger Phil Mphela claimed the popular Mzansi Magic telenovela The Queen had been cancelled last week. He reported he had “close sources” who were privy to this information. He made further claims that actress Brenda Ngxoli, who played the character Noma, had quit the show, an allegation she denied.  

Ferguson Films’ casting director and daughter of Connie Ferguson, Neo Matsunyane and the late Shona Ferguson, Lesedi Matsunyane-Ferguson hit back at Mphela’s claims about what may be going on behind the scenes at The Queen Mzansi. 

Winde repeats call for urgent meeting with Ramaphosa to end state of disaster 

 
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has reiterated his call for an urgent meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) to end the national state of disaster. 

Winde on Friday said despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment last month during the State of the Nation Address (Sona) to end the state of disaster and its regulations, there were still no clear timelines for exactly when this would happen. 

The premier wants the meeting – which consists of Cabinet ministers, premiers, mayors of metros – to be held soon, as the expiry of the extension of the state of disaster approaches on 15 March. 

Criminal charges brought against ex-spy boss Arthur Fraser over SSA irregularities 

 
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday brought criminal charges against the former director-general of the State Security Agency (SSA), Arthur Fraser, regarding irregularities during his time at the spy agency. 

DA MP and spokesperson on state security, Dianne Kohler Barnard, said it was under Fraser’s watch as deputy director for operations at the SSA that the Principle Agent Network (PAN) was established. 

Barnard said millions of rand, if not billions, were reportedly siphoned off or spent irregularly, and the DA is requesting the South African Police Service (Saps) to investigate possible criminal offences. 

The Democratic Alliance is also laying charges regarding Fraser’s possible involvement with the recording of the ‘spy tapes’. 

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