Daily news update: ANC policy conference, petrol price and Krugersdorp robbery

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Daily news update – 31 July

ANC policy conference: Delegates yet to tackle step-aside rule – Motlanthe

Delegates at the African National Congress (ANC) policy conference were focusing on renewal of the party and economic policies, and are yet to discuss the contentious step-aside rule.

This is according to former president Kgalema Motlanthe.

Day two of the conference saw party members break into commissions to tackle party policy documents that were disseminated to branches at least three months ago.

17 more suspects arrested in connection to Krugersdorp rape, robbery

Seventeen more suspects have been arrested following the rape of eight women in West Village, Krugersdorp.

On Friday, the South African Police Service (Saps) officers had arrested 67 people – including two suspects who were fatally shot.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Westrand District Commisioner, Fred Kekana confirmed that the latest arrests brings the total number to 84 suspects, some who are foreign nationals.

Petrol price to decrease from Wednesday – here’s by how much

The petrol price in South Africa is set to drop by R1 per litre for August, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has confirmed.

The department announced on Saturday evening that both 93 and 95 Unleaded Petrol (UPL) will decrease by R1.32 per litre, while diesel will be cut by 88 cents per litre for 0.05% sulphur and by 91 cents for 0.005% sulphur per litre.

Malema says Ramaphosa ‘a role model for tsotsis’ as EFF celebrates 9th anniversary

The 9^th anniversary of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was on Saturday used as a platform to apply pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside.

EFF leader Julius Malema did not mince his words when he launched a scathing attack on Ramaphosa.

“This president is a role model of tsotsis, but he must know his days are numbered in that office.”

Educating people about horrors of apartheid ‘incites violence’, says FF+

A poster, about the legacy of apartheid, in the 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria has raised the ire of Freedom Front Plus (FF+), with party leader Pieter Groenewald saying it incites violence in South Africa.

The poster says black people, in addition to facing brutal violence from the police and army, had to deal with a lack of food, water, medical care and education.

Due to this, according to the government poster, communities used weapons and violence to protect themselves.

ANC national policy conference overshadowed by protests over salaries

With Friday’s opening of the ANC national policy conference overshadowed by the party workers’ protest outside the gathering’s Nasrec venue, ANC staffers in Pietermaritzburg have spoken about the pain of not getting their salaries.

An ANC staffer based at the party’s Hoosen Haffejee regional offices told The Witness that he has been rendered homeless after defaulting on rental payment arrangement.

Unclaimed bodies piling up at KZN mortuaries

Unidentified bodies are piling up and the smell is getting worse. These are the issues that employees at the Fort Napier mortuary in Pietermaritzburg have to deal with every day.

According to sources inside the mortuary, these problems have been ongoing for years and are getting worse by the day.

Speaking to Weekend Witness, a source said the bad smell starts from the parking lot and worsens by the time a person approaches reception.

Benni McCarthy joins Manchester United

Former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy has joined Manchester United as a striker’s coach.

The news of McCarthy’s next job was broken by sports broadcaster Robert Marawa on his Twitter account on Saturday.

This marks a return to England for Bafana Bafana’s all-time goal-scorer, having spent some time playing there for Blackburn Rovers and West Ham.

Lara van Niekerk wins first gold for Team SA at Commonwealth Games

Teenager Lara van Niekerk opened South Africa’s account at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday night, earning the national team’s first medal on day two of the multi-sport showpiece in Birmingham.

Van Niekerk won gold in the women’s 50m breaststroke final, touching the wall in 29.73 and slicing 0.07 off the Commonwealth Games record (29.80) she had set in the semifinals the night before.