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Top 10 stories of the day: MTBPS takeaways and reactions | Liebenberg witness won’t testify | PSL star turns himself in to police
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes a look at Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and how political parties responded to it,
Also, a key witness in diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg’s fraud case said he will not testify unless liquidators are investigated, and Sekhukhune United player Shaune Mogaila has turned himself in to police after allegedly fleeing an accident where a girl died.
Furthermore, Handré Pollard celebrates his son’s sixth birthday and multi-Grammy Award winner singer-songwriter James Bay will be coming to South Africa in March.
News today: 31 October
The weather service has warned of extremely high fire danger in the North West and the Northern Cape, while hot and sunny conditions will impact multiple provinces. – full weather forecast here.
MTBPS: No SOE bailouts, early retirement for 30 000 public servants
Although Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana disappointed citizens who wanted a basic income grant and more basic foods to be exempted from value-added tax (VAT), he did not include any bailouts for state-owned enterprises in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) and allocated money for early-retirement packages for public servants to control the public servant wage bill.
Godongwana said that about R11 billion is budgeted for early retirement of government employees over the next three years. Up to 30,000 government employees can qualify for voluntary early retirement over the next two years.
Political parties had mixed reactions to Godongwana’s MTBPS. To see what the DA, EFF, MK and UDM said about it, click here.
‘Lock me up, I won’t testify!’: Key witness in Louis Liebenberg case calls for probe into liquidators
They can lock him up, but he refuses to testify in the case against the notorious diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg unless the liquidators involved in the case are investigated, says Tiaan Lombard, CEO of the payment platform AE Switch.
Liebenberg started using the platform in 2021 to trade his so-called “diamond packages”.
Horror crash claims nine-year-old girl: PSL star Mogaila turns himself in to police
Sekhukhune United player Shaune Mogaila has turned himself in to police after fleeing the scene of a horrific head-on collision on Andrew Mapheto Road in Tembisa on Wednesday morning.
The 29-year-old Mogaila appears to have only sustained a small bruise on his forehead while a nine-year-old girl tragically lost her life.
‘Squabbling’ Life Esidimeni beneficiaries to receive compensation in two tranches
The Gauteng provincial government says it will now pay the victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy in portions because of reported conflict among family members.
This was announced by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
‘They handed me keys to the cells’ – Alleged insurance killer recounts day of arrest
It was business as usual on Thursday, 10 October, when alleged insurance killer Rachel Shokane Kutumela was arrested at her workplace, the Senwabarwana Police Station, in full view of her colleagues.
The 43-year-old Kutumela appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court alongside her elder sister, 47-year-old Annah Shokane, and 23-year-old daughter, Madjadji Flora Shokane on Wednesday.
Vaal Dam level continues to drop: Here’s what it and other reserves below 50% stood at this week
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s latest weekly report revealed a significant decline in the country’s dam water capacity levels.
31 dams nationally recorded levels of under 50% of their full capacity, with some going as low as below 1%.
Look who’s growing! Handré Pollard’s baby boy is six months old and cute as a button [PICS]
Double World Cup-winning Springboks fly-half Handré Pollard and his wife, Marise, celebrated their son Hunter’s six-month milestone with a family outing in London this week.
The Pollards is currently residing in Market Harborough where the veteran player is on contract with the Leicester Tigers until the end of the Premiership season.
Multi-Grammy winner James Bay is coming to South Africa
Internationally acclaimed multi-Grammy Award winner singer-songwriter James Bay is coming to South Africa as part of his much-anticipated tour.
Bay will bring his soulful melodies and electrifying performances to audiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg in March next year.
No double ton for ambitious De Zorzi, but Proteas strengthen their grip
Though he delivered in spectacular fashion, top-order batter Tony de Zorzi admitted on Wednesday he was a little disappointed he didn’t turn his first international century into a double ton.
De Zorzi led a remarkable effort by the Proteas batters as they strengthened their grip on day two of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.
Pirates’ Riveiro happy with ‘massive’ win over Galaxy
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro was delighted to have collected maximum points against a “tough” side like TS Galaxy.
This comes after the Buccaneers beat The Rockets 2-0 at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night to make it six wins in six Betway Premiership matches.
Yesterday’s News recap
READ HERE: Home Affairs to withdraw Adetshina’ IDs | Hailstorm leaves four dead | Trevor Noah on death threats
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