Daily news update: Zuma to seek private prosecution, Ukraine airport destroyed

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Jacob Zuma to seek private prosecution against Billy Downer

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has announced that former President Jacob Zuma will seek private prosecution against state prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer in his trial.

The foundation was addressing the media on the latest decisions regarding Zuma’s legal matters, related to his corruption trial that is scheduled to start in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on 11 April.

Zuma, who turns 80 next week, is expected seek another adjournment in the case.

Zuma and French arms company Thales, face several charges including fraud, racketeering and money laundering linked to the multibillion-rand arms deal.

LIVE UPDATES: Dnipro airport ‘destroyed’ by Russian shelling

The airport in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro has been completely destroyed in fresh Russian shelling, a local official said Sunday. 

“There has been another attack on Dnipro airport. There is nothing left of it. The airport itself and the infrastructure around it has been destroyed. Rockets keep flying and flying,” the head of the city’s military administration, Valentin Reznichenko, said on Telegram.

ANC eThekwini: No sitting as disputes continue to cloud conference

Delegates are yet to sit and get down to work on the second day at the ANC eThekwini regional conference, as disputes over credentials rages on.

On the first day on Saturday, the event started very late as two main factions, that of former mayor Zandile Gumede and council speaker Thabani Nyawose locked horns over voting rights.

Members of the ANC NEC with a vested interest in the outcome of the conference, such as disgraced former health minister Zweli Mkhize and suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule were reportedly in Durban this weekend.

The dispute was on whether members of the regional task team should be given voting status or not. Some delegates argued that a precedent was set during the Mpumalanga conference, where provincial task teams members voted.

All hail Cassper: Mzansi showers musician with love despite being Naaked out

South African rapper Cassper Nyovest might have lost the much-publicised boxing match against NaakMusiQ at the Sun City Super Bowl on Saturday evening, but he has won the respect of South Africans who have praised him for his “genius marketing abilities.”

One Twitter user even went as far to comment that Cassper outclassed a whole Department of Sports, Arts and Culture by reviving a sport that had been longing for media attention.

Judging by reactions on social media on Sunday, South Africans were thoroughly entertained, even though the odds didn’t land in Cassper’s favour.