Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink during a council meeting on 25 July 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Beeld/Deaan Vivier
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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid down the gauntlet and demanded the reinstatement of Cilliers Brink as Tshwane mayor.
After holding the mayoral office in the City of Tshwane since March 2023, Brink was ousted by a vote of 120 councillors in a council sitting on Thursday, with 87 councillors opposing the motion of no confidence against him.
Loud cheers and ululation engulfed the City of Tshwane municipal offices as employees celebrated the ousting of Brink.
However, DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille has warned the African National Congress (ANC) to bring back Brink, or the party won’t entertain any talks of ensuring stability in other hung metros ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.
Zille made the ultimatum in a letter dated 27 September to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and the party’s lead coalition negotiator, David Makhura.
In crime news, police minister Senzo Mchunu said that the motive behind the mass shootings, which left 17 people dead in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape is still unknown.
Mchunu briefed the media at the Thanduxolo School Hall in KwaNobuhle, Gqeberha, on Saturday afternoon.
It’s understood the attacks took place on Friday night in two separate homes at Ngobozana village.
Police said in one house, 13 people were killed, which include twelve women and one man.
In another homestead, four people were also killed. The eighteenth victim is in a critical condition in hospital. In total 15 women and two men were killed.
Police have launched a manhunt.
Mchunu said investigations are ongoing and described the killings as “senseless.”
Re-elected South African Democratic Union (SADTU) President Magope Maphila has vowed to push for the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill.
The teacher union made the announcement at its 10th national congress at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Saturday.
Sadtu announced its national leadership, with all candidates in the top 8 retaining their positions.
Maphila retained his position as president, with his deputy Mabutho Cele also remaining as the SADTU’s number two.
Mugwena Maluleke retained his role as general secretary, a position he has held since 2009.
Maphila insisted the union wants the Bela act to be rolled out immediately despite facing a mammoth task to advance the needs of basic education amid looming budget cuts.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane says criminals belong in two places: underground or in jail.
However, how they respond to police’s attempt to arrest them will determine where they end up.
There are those who surrender and get sent to jail and those who shoot at police and end up underground, as we have seen in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mabuyane prefers the latter, because, according to the premier, “they make life easier”.
In weather news, after scorching week and windy conditions, temperatures in Gauteng are expected to drop this week, with residents warned to brace for a slight chilly weather.
The cooler weather comes after the province enjoyed moderately fine to warm weather for the past week.
According to regional forecaster Gauteng Weather, the cooler weather is expected to hit the province from next week.
Pretoria will see slightly warmer temperatures with a minimum of 7°C and a maximum of 22°C.
Residents of Gauteng can also anticipate fine, windy and warm to hot conditions, becoming partly cloudy with isolated evening thundershowers but scattered in the south.
Police have retrieved a mutilated body from a river in the North West.
The corpse, missing limbs and other extremities, is believed to be that of a man caught in a love triangle.
A 40-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder after community members described his suspicious activities.
The deceased and the arrested suspect are believed to have gotten into an argument when the latter went looking for his ex-girlfriend at her house in Christiana.
There he would find her new lover, whereafter he is believed to have stabbed the man to death before dragging him into nearby bushes.
The Springboks produced a top performance to power to a thumping 48-7 win over Argentina to win the 2024 Rugby Championship in style at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday night.
Four tries in the first half and a further three in the second made sure that there wouldn’t be any surprises for the Boks as they deservedly clinched the title.
The Boks only lost one game in the competition, by one point against Argentina in Santiago, and showed that they are worthy champions.
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