Daily news update: NPA vs Zuma, Polokwane serial killer and Pitso on Tau return

Here is your daily news update. Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.

NPA is ready to prosecute Jacob Zuma

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the judgment relating to former President Jacob Zuma, handed down on Wednesday.

KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge Piet Koen dismissed Zuma’s application to have state prosecutor advocate Billy Downer recused from the arms deal trial.

“The NPA notes particularly the order directing that the criminal trial shall proceed during the second and third terms of the 2022 court calendar of the KZN High Court, where it has been set down, as previously agreed by all the parties, commencing at 10h00 on 11 April 2022,” said NPA Spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga.

Mkhwebane’s impeachment process to resume next week

Parliament is expected to resume its impeachment process against Public Protector (PP) Busisiwe Mkhwebane next Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court earlier this month ruled that the house can proceed with the process in a judgment that was reserved in November last year.

Former National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise and the Democratic Alliance (DA) filed their papers for leave to appeal directly to the ConCourt after a court order ruled in favour of Mkhwebane, thus halting the impeachment process.

Shell: Mantashe loses appeal against Wild Coast seismic survey

Shell South Africa (SA) and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe have suffered defeat in its legal battle over the seismic survey off the Wild Coast in Eastern Cape.

The Makhanda High Court on Thursday dismissed Shell and Mantashe’s application for leave to appeal a second interdict that had temporarily halted the survey.

In the latest judgment, Judge Gerald Bloem also dismissed the application with costs.

SSA denies ‘aiding’ Arthur Fraser in lawsuit against The President’s Keepers author

The State Security Agency (SSA) has denied “misleading claims” that it is protecting former Correctional Services national commissioner, Arthur Fraser amid a legal dispute.

This is after a News24 opinion piece questioned Fraser’s influence over the SSA.

Fraser – who is also the former director-general of SSA – is suing investigative journalist and author Jacques Pauw for defamation.

The former prisons boss is demanding R35 million from Pauw and NB Publishers for the allegations stated in the author’s The President’s Keepers book published in 2017.

‘Son of the soil’ Ramaphosa entrenching himself in Limpopo

President Cyril Ramaphosa appears to be entrenching himself in his home province of Limpopo, with his protege, premier Stanley Mathabatha, looking set to win another term as ANC provincial leader.

Mathabatha has benefitted hugely from his association with Ramaphosa, who is popular in the province and who, indications are, should carry that provincial support with him to the ANC’s critical national elective conference at the end of the year.

Ramaphosa is aiming for a second-term as both ANC and national leader after ousting Jacob Zuma from those two positions at the watershed Nasrec conference in December 2017.

National health dept roped in to repair Charlotte Maxeke hospital

Ten months since the fire incident at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, the Gauteng government has roped in the national Department of Health to repair the facility.

The Gauteng provincial government made the announcement on Thursday morning during a media briefing at the facility.

The project to repair the hospital is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

A fire in April last year ravaged parts of Charlotte Maxeke hospital, and left many patients with no access to the facility.

Polokwane serial killer: Police confirm identities of five murdered women

Limpopo police have managed to positively identify, through DNA test results, the identities of five women who were allegedly murdered by the notorious Polokwane serial killer Prince Dube.

The 34-year-old, who is currently in police custody, was arrested last year in connection with the murders of seven women who were kidnapped or reported missing in Seshego, Mankweng and Polokwane since August 2021.

Five of the seven bodies could not be buried due to the outstanding DNA test results, after only two bodies were positively identified and consequently handed over to the families for burial.

Upcoming power purchase agreements will ease SA’s energy woes, says Mantashe

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has confirmed power purchase agreements will be finalised over the next two months.

While participating in the debate on the State of the Nation (Sona) address on Tuesday, Mantashe said the agreements will address the country’s energy shortfalls. 

“Next month and in April, we will conclude the power purchase agreements for 2 000MW Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP),” Mantashe said. 

‘It takes being different to make a difference’ – Kuli Roberts laid to rest

Close family and friends attended the private funeral ceremony of late media personality Nomakula Cynthia ‘Kuli’ Roberts in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“Both the Roberts and the Mboya family are deeply thankful for the immense support from across the nation over the past few days. They have planned a small intimate gathering for her send-off, ” the family statement read.

Media colleagues and loved ones gathered yesterday for a special memorial for Roberts, who passed away last week Wednesday after suffering a seizure onset. She was 49 years old.

Pitso hopeful Tau will be fit for Sundowns return

Pitso Mosimane hopes Percy Tau will be back playing for Al Ahly by the time they take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the Caf Champions League in Phokeng, on the weekend of March 11-13.

A quadricep injury forced Tau to miss the Fifa Club World Cup, though he did travel to Abu Dhabi with the team, where Mosimane’s side won the bronze medal for a second successive year.

Tau, indeed, has not played for Ahly this year and is set to miss the resumption of the Champions League, with Ahly playing Sudan’s Al Hilal this weekend, before taking on Sundowns in Cairo on February 25.