Daily news update: Senzo update, VIP assault, Nsfas R37m ‘waste’ probed, and more

In today’s daily news update: The North Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria heard that police failed to safeguard the crime scene of the Vosloorus home where soccer star Senzo Meyiwa was gunned down.

Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele has broken his silence on the VIP protection unit case, and Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo was placed on special leave.

Daily news update: 15 August 2023

In today’s weather, be prepared for strong winds in four provinces – these conditions could result in damage to structures, Saws warned. Full forecast here.

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

Senzo Meyiwa trial

The spotlight was once again thrown on the police’s failure to safeguard the crime scene of the Vosloorus home where soccer star Senzo Meyiwa was gunned down.

Sergeant Timothy Mathebula took to the stand at the North Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria, on Wednesday.

Mthethwa came under fire during cross-examination from defence lawyer Advocate Zandile Mshololo for not securing the crime scene from tampering by cordoning it off before rushing to Botshelong Hospital where the Bafana Bafana captain and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was being treated.

READ: Senzo Meyiwa trial: An unsecured crime scene, Kelly’s cop uncle and MaKhumalo with ‘that hat’

VIP assault of civilians

Police Minister Bheki Cele has broken his silence on the VIP protection unit case, saying the negative impact and narrative of the members assaulting civilians on the N1 highway in Johannesburg has put the police on the back foot.

Cele was speaking during Parliament’s police portfolio committee on Wednesday.

The eight South African Police Service (Saps) VIP protectors of Deputy President Paul Mashatile were released on R10 000 bail each earlier in August.

READ: VIP cops: Cele breaks his silence on assault of civilians

Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) has placed its CEO, Andile Nongogo, on special leave amid uproar over the scheme’s direct payment contract.

This comes after a report by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) on the “questionable” awarding of the Nsfas direct payment contract.

Outa has laid a criminal complaint against Nongogo, also former CEO of the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA), after its investigation into the Services SETA revealed that R37 million was allegedly wasted due to highly overinflated prices, a questionable tender award process and a total disregard for the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

READ: Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo placed on special leave as direct payment contract probed

Joburg councillors unpaid bills

The City of Johannesburg has revealed that its own councillors and employees owe the city millions of rands in outstanding municipal bills.

The city has cracked the whip on employees with overdue accounts and those who have defaulted on payments for services.

It said a total of R13.2million has been collected from Johannesburg councillors and permanent employees as of 31 July 2023.

READ: Joburg councillors and employees owe the city millions in unpaid bills

SABC could use Sars to collect TV licence fees

Who could blame the people of Mzansi for being so gullible as to believe a fake statement circulating on Twitter earlier this year that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) would be introducing a hefty licence fee for car radios?

Just another “Haibo!” moment for South Africa’s financially embattled national broadcaster which announced in February that it plans to introduce TV licence fees for computer monitors – even if they are not receiving broadcast signals on these devices.

READ: The taxman cometh? SABC could use Sars to collect TV licence fees

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In other news today:

• Identikit released: Have you seen this suspected rapist?
• City of Tshwane fires ‘ring leaders’ behind unprotected and unlawful strike
• ‘This was not our daughter, but a debilitating mental illness’− Lauren Dickason’s parents speak

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Yesterday’s Daily News recap

READ: Officer grilled in Meyiwa trial, Zuma arms deal case update, and more