Daily news update: ANC members’ interdict fails, Hillary Gardee’s funeral, and Len Cloete back in ICU

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Daily news update 08 May 2022

Court strikes ANC members’ interdict from roll as Eastern Cape conference continues

The ANC Eastern Cape members who sought to interdict some branches from participating in the party’s provincial elective conference have failed after the case was struck off the roll.

On Saturday, five disgruntled ANC members from the Dr WB Rubusana region filed their interdict papers at the Eastern Cape High Court in a bid to enforce an existing court order.

One of the members, Ondela Sokomani, said they were of the view the branches – implicated in the membership manipulation – in the WB Rubusana region should not be allowed to participate in the conference.

After hearing arguments from both parties, Judge Justin Laing delivered his ruling, saying the applicants failed to demonstrate why the matter was urgent.

‘Dire health condition’: Muldersdrift shooting victim Len Cloete back in ICU

Len Cloete, the Pretoria man who was shot in the head by police, is in a “dire health condition” this week, months after surgery.

Cloete was shot by a police officer after he forcefully took a gun from another female officer during an argument at Misty Hill Country Hotel in Muldersdrift, in November 2021.

Mike Bolhuis, an investigator for Specialized Security Services, the private investigation company appointed by Cloete’s family, told Rekord on Saturday that Cloete “is not getting any better”.

Gardee blames victims’ silence and police incompetence for daughter Hillary’s death

Former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee said on Saturday, during the funeral of his daughter Hillary, that the silence of other victims of crime was to blame for the death of his daughter Hillary.

He also took a swipe at the “incompetence” of the police in South Africa.

Hillary’s body was found on Tuesday in the Ehlanzeni District outside Mbombela, four days after she was reported missing. The 28-year-old had a bullet wound in the back of her head.

Mantashe takes a dig at Busisiwe Mavuso after blaming ANC for Eskom’s problems

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe has taken a dig at Eskom board member Busisiwe Mavuso after she blamed the governing party for the power utility’s problems.

Addressing delegates at the party’s Eastern Cape elective conference in East London on Saturday, Mantashe said the “right-wing” and “fascists” were on the “offensive” against the ANC.

“Anybody who wants attention must insult the ANC. We put someone in a board at Eskom and then they decide to insult the ANC, saying: ‘I have no responsibility it’s the ANC’s fault’.

“But they sit in board meetings and get paid then act like they do not have responsibility,” the ANC chair said in isiXhosa without mentioning Mavuso’s name.

Another suspect arrested for alleged involvement in Lenasia kidnappings and extortion

The Anti-Kidnapping Task Team has arrested yet another suspect in Lenasia for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and extortion case.

According to a source who spoke to The Citizen, the individual is believed to be related to the current Lenasia Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman.

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspect was arrested on Friday night after a warrant of arrest was issued against him.

South Africans still questioning Steenhuisen’s trip to Ukraine

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen may have found an unexploded rocket for a photo opportunity in Ukraine, but the cost of political indulgence may be more than the party bargained for.

Steenhuisen has dominated online social conversations this week and an eNCA poll on whether his trip to Ukraine was justified spiked in his favour only after a WhatsApp message did the rounds, soliciting votes among the party faithful.

Netnographer Carmen Murray said Steenhuisen had not had much support for the trip in earlier online conversations.

One standout tweet said: “John Steenhuisen’s planning a trip to the moon to see if he can assess the gravity of the situation.”