Daily news update: Petrol price, crime statistics and Proteas Test series

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

Petrol price to increase to more than R21 per litre next month

South Africans will be paying record-high prices for petrol as of next month, with the Automobile Association (AA) predicting massive fuel price hikes based on fuel price data from the Central Energy Fund.

“The data shows an increase of R1.25 a litre for 95 octane petrol, R1.24 a litre for 93 octane, R1.29/l for diesel and a significant increase of R1.22/l for illuminating paraffin,” said the AA.

An analysis of the petrol price movement this month shows international petroleum prices are contributing entirely to the expected increases with the stronger Rand buffering what would have been more significant increases.

Zondo Commission confirms it’s asking for another two month extension

The Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture on Friday confirmed that it had approached the High Court in Pretoria seeking a further extension of its term until 30 April 2022.

Should the commission’s court application succeed, this means that its final report, that was meant to be delivered to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 28 February, will not be its last report.

Crime stats: Murder rates up, sexual offences down

South Africa’s murder rate increased by 8.9% from October to December 2021, according to the latest quarterly crimes statistics.

This means that 562 more people were killed in South Africa between October and December last year compared to the same period in 2020. Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday released the quarterly crime statistics in Cape Town for the third quarter.

The good news was that common robbery, sexual assault, attempted sexual offences and contact sexual offences were all on the decline in the period under review.

More than 11,000 South Africans raped in three months last year

South Africa has recorded a 9.0% decrease in sexual offences from October to December 2021, according to the latest quarterly crimes statistics, but despite this more than 11 000 people still fell victim to rape during this period.

Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed this on Friday in Cape Town during the release of the quarterly crime statistics for the last three months of 2021.

Cele said despite the drop in sexual offences for the quarter, 11, 315 people were raped between October and December.

SAHRC to start Gauteng leg of July 2021 unrest investigation

While the country is still reeling from the damning findings by a report of the expert panel appointed in August 2021 to review government’s response to the July 2021 unrest Gauteng and KZN, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is set to resume its investigative hearing into the unrest, this time focusing on Gauteng.

According to the SAHRC the hearings will start from Monday 21 February until Friday 4 March.

RTMC snuck hidden costs into new online payment system, says OUTA

Civil action group, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has accused the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s (RTMC) of unfairly escalating costs in its newly launched online payment and licence renewal system.

On Thursday, the roads agency announced that it has finally entered the digital era, by introducing an online payments portal.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula is optimistic that digitising essential services would reduce the corruption endemic at drivers license testing centres and shorten queues on-site.

But Outa is now accusing the roads agency and the department of hiking the fees for transactions such as those for changes in vehicle ownership.

Refrigerated body parts murder suspect undergoing mental evaluation

The case against a Soweto man who allegedly stored the body parts of his female murder victim in his refrigerator has been postponed to 18 March for a complete mental evaluation.

Murder suspect Flavio Hlabangwane was admitted to the Sterkfontein mental institution in mid-January, following an application by the defence team for him to undergo mental observation.

The state did not oppose the application.

Sama board chair Dr Angelique Coetzee resigns

Dr Angelique Coetzee, the chairperson of the South African Medical Association (Sama) board, has stepped down from the position with immediate effect.

The Sama made the announcement on Friday, saying Coetzee informed the association of her resignation during its board meeting on Thursday night. She will remain an ordinary member of the Sama board.

“The current vice-chairperson of the Sama board, Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa, will assume the role of interim chairperson while the board contemplates Dr Coetzee’s permanent replacement,” Sama said in a statement.

Cassper Nyovest’s going hard for his legacy

For rapper Cassper Nyovest, creating and leaving a legacy for his son Khotso Izwe Simba Phoolo is everything.

The musician welcomed his first child with his partner Thobeka Majozi in September 2020. The parents have shared a couple of pics of Khotso but have intentionally not shown his face.

On Thursday, Cassper posted an adorable picture of himself and Khotso striking a pose on the staircase. Khotso is wearing a cute striped beige overall with blue shoes.

Bafana coach Broos in contact with Chiefs defender

A source has revealed that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has been in contact with Kaizer Chiefs defender Sifiso Hlanti.

It is claimed that Broos was asking Hlanti how he felt after his recent recovery from injury as he is considering him for his next squad selection.

Bafana’s next game is a friendly against France on 29 March.

Boucher reflects on ‘extremely disappointing’ two days for Proteas

After another dismal start to a Test series that sees the Proteas in huge trouble of falling to a big innings defeat within three days, coach Mark Boucher admits that this has become a trend and the coaches need to work out what is going wrong with the team.

South Africa scored just 95 in their first innings, watched New Zealand amass 482 all out in theirs and then slipped to 4/3 in their second innings before Temba Bavuma (22no) and Rassie van der Dussen (9no) showed a bit of fight to get them to the close of play on day two on 34/2.