Daily news update: Mkhize vs SIU, July unrest instigators, and British Airways flight

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

Mkhize files another affidavit in his bid to quash Digital Vibes findings

Former health minister Zweli Mkhize has filed another affidavit in his fight to have the Digital Vibes report reviewed and set aside.

Mkhize, his family and close associates were implicated in the R150 million communications tender awarded to Digital Vibes by the Department of Health.

The investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed showed how millions in public funds were spent on, among others, home improvements, a hair salon and nail franchise, luxury holidays and designer clothes by Mkhize’s associates and family members.

July unrest: Cele reveals list of alleged instigators – report

The names of those said to be the instigators of last year’s devastating July unrest have been revealed. 

According to News24, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed a list of 19 names in response to a parliamentary question posed by DA MP Dean Macpherson. 

In addition to the names of the people allegedly behind the unrest, Cele also confirmed they had already been arrested. 

British Airways flight fails to land four times after Comair suspension lift

A British Airways flight experienced technical problems and couldn’t land after four times just two days after its suspension was lifted.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Wednesday lifted its suspension on Comair, which operates the local British Airways and low-cost carrier Kulula.com.

The SACAA suspended Comair’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on last Saturday over safety-related issues, and was initially meant to last for 24 hours.

The next day, however, British Airways and Kulula flights were indefinitely suspended.

It now looks like Comair’s technical issues has not stopped to plague the airline.

Court date set in Vodacom’s appeal case against ‘Please Call Me’ inventor

Telecommunication giant Vodacom’s leave to appeal application in its legal battle against ‘Please Call Me’ inventor, Nkosana Makate will be heard next month.

Vodacom is seeking to appeal a recent court judgment that ruled in favoured of Makete.

Last month, the Pretoria High Court ruled that Makate was entitled to 5% of Vodacom’s revenue generated from his invention from March 2001 to March 2021.

The court also ruled that Makate is entitled to 27% of the revenue generated by the return of calls sent through the Please Call Me platform.

Ban on buying fuel in containers finally lifted

For the first time since July last year, consumers may once again purchase petrol and diesel in containers. 

This after dispensing fuel into containers was banned by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) during the July unrest last year. 

The ban was instituted after concerns looters could plunder fuel resources. 

The lift on the ban comes after the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) successfully pressured the DMRE to withdraw its prohibition, Polokwane Review reports. 

Data prices likely to remain high, says EFF after spectrum auction ends

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said there is little hope that data prices will ever fall in South Africa, and the market will continue to be dominated by the big mobile operators.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on Thursday announced the conclusion of the much-anticipated high-demand radio frequency spectrum auction.

The auction involved six qualified bidders which included Cell C, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MTN, Rain Networks, Telkom, and Vodacom.

DBE system delays first term school report cards

Parents and pupils alike faced the stress of leaving their schools empty-handed with no reports at the end of the first term because the process to finalise them was delayed.

One parent, Susanna Langenhoven, from Pretoria East, said she was disappointed about not receiving her daughter’s report card, with educational psychologist Lidaliza Grobler saying the impact of the delayed reports depended on the individual child.

“There are children who love getting report cards because they like seeing their progress,” said Grobler, but added pupils who struggle with schoolwork will be relieved reports are delayed.

Alleged suicide of 12-year-old shocks family, community

The family of a 12-year-old boy are in shock after he reportedly took his life following an alleged altercation with fellow pupils and a teacher at school.

He is being laid to rest today, at his home in Mahikeng in the North West.

Bokang Pitso allegedly got into a fight with two fellow pupils last week. A teacher then took him to a staffroom and beat him, reportedly in the presence of other teachers.

Young, Famous & African: ‘My first child is his fifth, and I met him first’

The first episode of Netflix’s African reality show Young, Famous & African hit screens worldwide on Friday, and the streets of social media are already buzzing about the drama that went down.

The glitzy reality series follows a group of young, affluent and famous A-list media personalities from all over the African continent, giving viewers an inside look into their luxury lives.

Nigerian model, presenter and actress Annie Idibia, who is married to popular legendary musician Tu Face Idibia (2Baba), left viewers shook after she opened up about the details of her marriage on the first episode.

Morena nets a brace as ten-man Sundowns sail past Al-Hilal

Mamelodi Sundowns may have played for about 80 minutes with ten after Brian Onyango was sent off in a Caf Champions League match against Al-Hilal Omdurman on Saturday, but they managed to outsmart the Sudanese side and beat them 4-2 in in a thrilling affair in Sudan.

Sundowns had already qualified for the quarterfinals, and now have 13 points from five matches in Group A.

Onyango was sent off in the 11th minute, forcing Downs coach to sacrifice Themba Zwane and bring in Grant Kekana to slot in the last line of defence.