Daily news update: Malema vs Kunene, Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and Eskom’s price increase plans

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

Malema sues ‘stubborn’ Kunene for calling him a cockroach

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has filed papers with the Equality Court demanding that Patriotic Alliance (PA) deputy president Kenny Kunene retract and apologise for calling him a cockroach on TV in November.

Responding to Malema’s “pantiti” comments, Kunene, in a interview on eNCA, threatened to expose the EFF leader for who he is, calling him a “cockroach” and “criminal”, among other names.

He said: “I think it’s pure bitterness and jealousy. Julius has gone on to call us these names for a very long time. We have really tried to be mature and not respond to him. I’m going to deal with this little frog. Julius is just an irritating cockroach that I must now deal with publicly. I will call the press and begin to show you that Julius, whatever he criticises, he is.”

Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders can’t be deported during grace period

Holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) may not be arrested, detained, or deported during the 12 month grace period, the Department of Home Affairs has confirmed.

Cabinet decided not to extend the ZEPs, which was renewed every four years, in November last year.

Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said at the time that a 12-month grace period would be granted upon the expiry of the exemption permit.

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi officially gazetted the permit’s grace period two days before the 31 December 2021 deadline, after Cabinet agreed to grant the extension.

Next Chief Justice: Public has until Monday to comment on candidates

With the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) set to conduct interviews early next month on the four candidates nominated for the position of South Africa’s next chief justice, the public has until Monday, 10 January 2022, to comment on the suitability of the nominees.

The four candidates vying for the top job are acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, Constitutional Court Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) Judge President Mandisa Maya, and Gauteng High Court Judge President Dunstan Mlambo.

The nominees are expected to be invited for public interviews by the JSC, scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 February 2022, in Gauteng, to determine their suitability for the position of Chief Justice.

Myeni was ‘difficult to defy’, says former SAA acting CEO

Former South African Airways (SAA) acting CEO Mathulwane Mpshe has spoken out about just how difficult it was difficult to work under the former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni.

This comes after acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo released the first part of the state capture report last week.

The report recommended that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) investigate Myeni for fraud related to a R800 million transaction.

It also details how Myeni and former SAA director Yakhe Kwinana’s management style provided breeding grounds for fraud and corruption to rise at SAA.

You have until Friday to weigh in on Eskom’s price increase plans

Stakeholders have until Friday (January 14) to submit written comments to energy regulator Nersa on Eskom tariffs that may increase by more than 40%, according to Nersa’s latest pro forma implementation plans.

The week thereafter, Nersa will hold virtual public hearings for various provinces.

Eskom previously took issue with Nersa’s initial position, as reflected in the consultation paper stakeholders have been asked to comment on, that the increase may amount to as much as 54.35%.

Body of teenage girl found hanging from a tree in Soweto

Investigations are continuing after the lifeless body of a teenage girl was found hanging from a tree in Mapetla, Soweto, near Pikitup last Wednesday.

The disturbing discovery was made by community members, who then reported to the police.

Matshepo Malefane was reported missing last Monday by her mother, who ended up contacted her brother to inform him of her disappearance.

The following day they went looking for her, and after four hours of searching, they found her at her boyfriend’s house.

Tennis star Novak Djokovic wins Australia visa case

World number one Novak Djokovic won a stunning victory Monday over the Australian government, overturning the cancellation of the tennis star’s visa on Covid-19 health grounds, and ending his detention.

It was an extraordinary setback for the Australian government, which has imposed strict pandemic requirements on arriving foreign travellers for the past two years.

But the Australian government’s lawyer told the court that Immigration Minister Alex Hawke may still decide to use his “personal power of cancellation” despite the player’s victory.