Daily news update: Zuma in Russia, truck arson, asteroid alert, water outage

In today’s daily news update: Zuma’s foundation confirmed he is in Russia seeking medical assistance, and the SANDF deployed armed forces to assist amid the truck arson attacks.

Meanwhile, a massive asteroid is heading our way, and the NICD said confirmed cases of measles are surging across the country.

Daily news update: 18 June 2023

Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Here’s your easy-to-read selection of our top stories.

Zuma in Russia

The Jacob Zuma Foundation confirmed former president Jacob Zuma is unwell and seeking medical assistance in Moscow.

The foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi told The Citizen the former president departed for Russia two weeks ago.

The news comes just a day after the Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed a bid to overturn the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) November 2022 ruling.

READ: Zuma receiving treatment for undisclosed illness in Russia

Truck arson: Army deployed

The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will assist the SA Police Service (Saps) in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State amid the truck attacks which have gripped the country.

More than 20 trucks have been torched since Sunday, with incidents reported on several highways.

Police have so far arrested three suspects in connection with the attacks.

READ: Army deployed to help police fight truck arson attacks

‘Potentially Hazardous’ asteroid

An upcoming cosmic event has captured the attention of astronomers and space fanatics alike (present company included) as Asteroid 2023 MG6 is set for an Earth flyby on Sunday.

2023 MG6 has a diameter of approximately 271 metres, roughly the size of a stadium and will swing by our neck of the space woods at 23:37 South African time.

It will also zip past as if it’s late for work, moving at a relative velocity of 12.38 km/s and a hyperbolic excess speed (v-infinity) of 12.37 km/s.

In other words, the asteroid will be speeding past us at 44 564 kilometres per hour, and at a distance of 3.6 million kilometres.

READ: Time to start praying! ‘Potentially Hazardous’ asteroid to pass by Earth on Sunday

Measles surge in SA

South Africa is still grappling with a severe measles outbreak, as revealed by a detailed report from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

The report – which is based on data compiled from laboratory testing up to 4 July – highlights an unsettling rise in measles cases nationwide.

Since the 40th epidemiological week of 2022, the NICD assessed 6 490 serum samples, of which 1 110 (17%) were confirmed as measles.

READ: Outbreak update: NICD raises alarm over measles surge in SA

Rand Water maintenance

The excruciating 58-hour planned Rand Water maintenance project has been successfully completed. The announcement was made by the water utility early on Friday morning.

Rand Water said the system will take time to replenish reserves and water supply.

“The 58-hour planned maintenance project that commenced on Tuesday, 11 July at 19:00 has been successfully completed. Rand Water is now recharging and filling up the system.

READ: It’s over − Rand Water completes 58-hour maintenance

---

In other news:

• EC Health Department accused of paying R67 million in salaries despite hospital closure
• ‘Zuma must go to jail’ − Steenhuisen
• Cash-strapped grandson charged with violation of corpse after burying gran in backyard
• I was expelled by corrupt leaders, says ousted ex-Numsa leader

---

Daily news, 14 July

READ: Mkhwebane and Zuma court losses, Zandile Mafe case and Nongoma mayor’s blue light joy ride