Daily news update: Easter road traffic stats, Senzo Meyiwa murder trial and State capture commission extension

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Daily news update 29 April

Mbalula says ‘peculiar circumstances’ led to fewer deaths on road during Easter

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has announced that 162 people died on South Africa’s roads during the Easter weekend compared to 235 last year.

The minister was briefing the media on Thursday at the Grasmere Toll Plaza.

Mbalula said the country has come from an Easter period characterised by “peculiar circumstances” that impacted the travel patterns of holidaymakers and the department’s Easter road safety campaign.

He said the circumstances of this year’s Easter period also had an impact on the number of vehicles that were involved in road crashes and in the number of people who died on the road.

Breaking: Senzo Meyiwa murder trial defence advocate Malesela Teffo arrested

Dramatic scenes unfolded just as court proceedings in the Senza Meyiwa murder trial adjourned on Thursday.

Police arrived at the courtroom to arrest advocate Malesela Teffo, who is representing four of the suspects in the murder trial.

It’s understood that Teffo is being arrested because he had missed a previous court appearance.

ALSO READ: ‘Let’s put those things in court’ – Cele responds to allegations he doesn’t want Teffo on Meyiwa case

Court had adjourned for a month and will resume on 30 May.

Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Ncube, and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa who are charged with murdering the Bafana Bafana captain in Vosloorus in 2014, will remain behind bars until the next appearance.

State capture commission granted yet another extension

The Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture on Wednesday morning was granted an extension of six weeks.

This will be the commission’s eighth extension since its establishment in 2018.

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the chairperson of the commission, approached the Pretoria High Court last week seeking yet another extension of the inquiry so that it could finalise its work.

There was no opposition to the extension.

SABC appoints Moshoeshoe Monare as news chief after Magopeni’s axing

The state owned SABC has appointed Moshoeshoe Monare as the new group executive for news and current affairs.

Monare takes over from Phathiswa Magopeni, who was fired earlier this year after she was found guilty of misconduct.

In a statement on Thursday, the SABC said Monare would take over his new role effective from 1 June 2022.

Monare has 25 years of experience in the media industry and is currently the managing director of operations and corporate services at Arena Holdings.

WATCH: Putin warns of ‘lightning response’ to intervention in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that if any other country intervenes in Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, Russia will launch a quick-fire military response.

Speaking to lawmakers, Putin said that “if anyone sets out to intervene in the current events from the outside and creates unacceptable threats for us that are strategic in nature, they should know that our response… will be lightning-fast”.

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