Daily news update: Thabo Mbeki, Operation Dudula and Caf Champions League

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Mbeki slams ANC leaders campaigning for leadership positions, instead of dealing with SA’s challenges

With the ANC set to elect new leadership later this year in December, former president Thabo Mbeki has slated party leaders who are preoccupied with campaigning for leadership positions, instead of dealing with South Africa’s pressing socio-economic challenges.

Mbeki on Saturday said that he was concerned some ANC leaders were focused on the governing party’s internal succession debate and squabbles, rather than “serving the ordinary masses of the people”.

The former ANC president made the remarks in Bloemfontein during a meeting with ANC members in the Free State.

Operation Dudula: Protests against foreigners in SA resurface

Members of the controversial group Operation Dudula on Saturday were in Hillbrow, Johannesburg to remove undocumented foreign traders and alleged drug dealers.

With unemployment at 35% – and rising up to 65% among youth – competition for jobs has spawned resentment among some jobless South Africans.

In recent weeks, scores of protesters have been staging demonstrations against undocumented migrants in what they have dubbed Operation Dudula, Zulu for “drive back”.

‘We want to work with Operation Dudula’ – Premier Makhura

The Gauteng provincial government plans to work with anti-migrant organisation Operation Dudula, said Premier David Makhura.

Makhura said the group shouldn’t turn to vigilantism.

“I see the mobilisation… it’s citizens who feel authorities and law enforcement are not doing their job. I want to appeal to them to not take the law into their own hands, because we will end up having violence.”

“As Gauteng government, we want to work with all civil organisations such as Operation Dudula, we want to work with them and law enforcement agencies,” the premier told eNCA.

What we know about Ashley Oosthuizen, the South African serving life in a Thai prison

South Africans have been gripped by the story of a 22-year-old South African woman from George who is serving a life sentence in a Thailand prison for drug smuggling.

News of the South African’s horrid fate has been widely reported on this past week after a man who claimed to have been her boyfriend at the time of her arrest, sent a lengthy statement to the George Herald claiming that Ashley Oosthuizen is not guilty of the crimes she has been accused of.

PICS: Truck crashes into Lamborghini in Phoenix

Imagine having to tell your insurer that you crashed into a Lamborghini Gallardo?

A truck driver who crashed into the luxury race car in Durban will be having that uncomfortable conversation with his insurer and employer after veering into the sleek white supercar on Saturday.

While there were no injuries reported, the Lamborghini Gallardo was extensively damaged after a truck collided with it on the southbound lane of the R102 in the vicinity of Phoenix on Saturday.

Sundowns made to work for point as they are held to a draw by El Merreikh

If you watched the first half of Mamelodi Sundowns’ second Caf Champions League Group A game and could not come back for the second, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Tshwane giants would score an easy win. 

This is after Masandawana gave a starring performance in the first half of their game against Sudan’s El Merreikh at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt on Saturday afternoon. 

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