Daily news update: Joburg’s mayoral committee, Bonginkosi Khanyile, Zim permit holders head to court

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DA’s Mpho Phalatse announces City of Joburg mayoral committee

New City of Johannesburg mayor and Democratic Alliance (DA) member Mpho Phalatse on Monday announced her mayoral committee members (MMC).

Last month, the DA regained control of Johannesburg, with the help of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ActionSA.

As a result, Phalatse was elected as the new executive mayor of the City, after she beat African National Congress (ANC) mayoral candidate Mpho Moerane with 144 votes.

The ANC also lost the Ekurhuleni municipality after the DA’s Tania Campbell was elected executive mayor.

Six killed in ‘gruesome’ shooting in KZN

Six people were killed when an unknown gunman entered a house in Folweni, KwaZulu-Natal, and opened fire.

One person survived the shooting in Mngadi Road on Sunday night.

“Police were only alerted by members of the community [on Monday] morning and discovered the gruesome scene,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker.

The bodies of four men and two women, aged between 26 and 32, were found inside the house with multiple gunshot wounds.

“They were all declared dead at the scene,” said Naicker.

Arrest warrant issued for alleged unrest instigator Bonginkosi Khanyile

An arrest warrant has been issued for Fees Must Fall activist Bonginkosi Khanyile after he failed to appear in the Durban Magistrates Court on Monday.

Khanyile is alleged to be one of the instigators of the unrest that gripped South Africa in July.

The Fees Must Fall activist is facing charges of inciting public violence and holding an illegal gathering during the unrest.

The 31-year-old Khanyile was arrested in August in connection with the unrest and was released on R5,000 bail.

After not appearing in court on Monday, Khanyile’s bail was provisionally forfeited.

Zim permit holders head to court to overturn decision not to renew ZEP

The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) Holders Association and non-profit organisation African Amity have brought an urgent application before the High Court in Johannesburg to overturn the decision by the director-general of Home Affairs not to renew permits granted to more than 250 000 Zimbabweans in SA.

The permits expire at the end of December 2021, after which the Department of Home Affairs has instructed them to apply for “mainstream visas” and to ensure that their applications comply with the provisions and requirements of the Immigration Act and its accompanying regulations.

Career shoplifter gets 10 years in prison for stealing leggings

The Pretoria North Regional Court has sentenced a woman to 10 years imprisonment for theft.

Desiree Williams, 57, originally from Cape Town, was convicted of theft after stealing two pairs of leggings, valued at R798.40, from Cotton On 25 October 2021.

“Williams confessed and pleaded guilty in court to the charge of theft. She told the court that on 25 September 2021, she went to Cotton On in Montana [in Tshwane] and intentionally stole two pairs of leggings valued at R798.40.

PICS: Meet the top-three Miss Universe 2021 winners

The highly anticipated and controversial Miss Universe 2021 pageant took place over the weekend in Israel, where three participants from different parts of the world were crowned and given their respective titles.

Miss South Africa 2021 titleholder, Lalela Mswane, was the chosen candidate to represent South Africa at this year’s Miss Universe beauty pageant, but she competed without the support of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture because they said the atrocities committed by Israel against Palestine were well documented, and they simply could not associate themselves with the pageant.

At the end of the Miss Universe 2021 pageant, the 24-year-old LLB graduate was unfortunately not crowned the winner, but did manage to walk away as the second runner-up.

Pathcare agrees to drop Covid-19 PCR test prices immediately

The third-largest laboratory, Drs Dietrich, Voigt, Mia & Partners (Pathcare) has agreed to reduce its Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test prices from about R850 to no more than R500 (VAT inclusive) per test with immediate effect. 

The Competition Tribunal still has to sign off on the settlement, but the agreement follows this weekend’s developments with Ampath and Lancet Laboratories.

Both companies agreed to substantially reduce the price of Covid-19 PCR tests immediately.