Daily news update: N2 horror crash, Senzo Meyiwa trial and load shedding continues

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

Daily news update: 17 September

Malesela Teffo disbarred from practising as an advocate

Advocate Malesela Teffo has been dealt a massive blow after he was struck from the Roll of Legal Practitioners.

An application by the Legal Practice Council (LPC) to have Teffo – who admitted as an advocate in 2009 -disbarred from practising law was successful, with the Pretoria High Court delivering its ruling on Friday.

“Advocate Teffo is hereby removed from the Roll of Legal Practitioners,” said Acting Judge Thembi Bokako, alongside Judge Justice Nyathi, while reading the judgment.

Bokako also ordered Teffo to surrender his practicing certificate.

“The respondent must surrender and deliver his certificate of enrolment as a legal practitioner to the registrar of this court,” she said.

ALSO READ: Assault, corruption, fraud: All the charges against advocate Teffo

N2 horror crash death toll rises to 21

Twenty-one people have been reported dead in a horrific crash on the N2 near Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.

According to KwaZulu-Natal EMS spokesperson Robert McKenzie, the fatalities include two adults and 19 children. The children were primary school children aged between 5 and 12 years old, who were being transported from school to home on Friday afternoon.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial postponed to November for further cross-examination

The trial against the five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, has been postponed to 14 November 2022.

Defence attorney Tshepo Thobane, who represents four of the five men standing trial, on Friday morning resumed his cross-examination of Meyiwa’s close friend, Tumelo Madlala, at the Pretoria High Court.

However, the matter had to be adjourned after presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela was informed that Advocate Zandile Mshololo – the lawyer for accused number five – was feeling unwell and needed to see a doctor.

The proceedings were also postponed for the bail hearing of accused number two, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, which is scheduled for next Thursday in the high court.

ALSO READ: Witness points out accused No. 2 as the man who got into a tussle with Senzo Meyiwa

Weekend of darkness, stage four load shedding to continue

Eskom has announced that you will be experiencing a weekend of deliberate power cuts with stage 4 load shedding to continue until Sunday.

The dark lords at Megawatt Park said breakdowns of a generating unit each at Kriel, Majuba and Tutuka power stations over the past 24 hours have necessitated the continuation of rolling blackouts at stage 4 until Sunday, at 5am.

Spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said the deliberate power cuts will, thereafter, be implemented at stage 3 until 5am on Monday.

Tshwane metro cuts Prasa’s power due over R5m in unpaid bills

The Tshwane metro has shown no mercy to the defaulting Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), after refusing to restore electricity supply to its head office despite a payment made towards its debt.

Prasa paid R2.4 million towards the R7.9 million it currently owes the metro after power supply was cut and water restricted on Thursday morning, Pretoria Rekord reported.

This is the third time this year that Prasa has been disconnected by the metro due to unpaid bills.

ALSO READ: Two more metros battling to pay Eskom

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds expecting their fourth child

One of Hollywood’s favourite couples, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, are expecting their fourth child. 

The actress announced the news during an appearance on the red carpet on Thursday. 

The 35-year-old was glowing when she showed off her baby bump at the 10th annual Forbes Power Women’s Summit.

Lively and Reynolds have three children together, daughters James, 7, Inez, 5, and Betty, who is 2 years old. 

Bulls secure services of Jake White until 2027

Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, has committed for a long-term stay at Loftus Versfeld with a contract extension that will see him at the helm of the side until 2027.

The 58-year-old 2007 World Cup-winning coach joined the Bulls in 2020 where he took them to two back-to-back Currie Cup titles as well as the Super Rugby Unlocked crown before steering the side into the inaugural United Rugby Championship competition, with the side from Tshwane reaching the final of the cross-hemisphere tournament.

ALSO READ: Daily news update: Phala Phala panel, Mkhwebane’s findings ‘inaccurate’ and Senzo Meyiwa trial