Daily news update: Kagiso shutdown, Makashule Gana quits DA, and Covid-19 vaccine death

Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.

Daily news update – 5 August

Kagiso residents warned: ‘Zama zamas are heavily armed and better trained’

Mogale City Mayor Tyrone Gray has warned the residents of Kagiso, in the West Rand, against taking the law into their hands.

This after hundreds of angry residents, organising themselves into different groups, took to the streets on Thursday morning to apprehend alleged zama zamas (illegal miners) in the area.

Gray cautioned residents against physically removing the illegal miners from mine dumps and informal settlements, saying it was well known the zama zamas were heavily armed and could turn against the community.

Makashule Gana quits DA after 20 years as party member

Makashule Gana has announced his resignation from the Democratic Alliance (DA), becoming the latest prominent black leader to exit the party.

Gana, the DA’s Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in Gauteng, on Thursday morning took to social media to announce that he had resigned as a member of the DA and from the provincial legislature.

While he did not mention the reasons behind his departure from the party, Gana said he was leaving the DA “with a clear conscience, no regrets, and a cemented sense of purpose and calling to serve the country”.

Phala Phala farm theft: Public Protector calls on interested parties to stop interfering

The office of the Public Protector has called on South Africans to desist from interfering in the ongoing investigation into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm theft.

This follows growing calls on the institution to publicise Ramaphosa’s answers to the 31 questions sent by the institution.

The president submitted written answers to the Public Protector’s office over the Phala Phala farm robbery last month following a threat of a subpoena after failing to meet his initial deadline.

Calls mount for Cele to resign over ‘lucky to be raped by one man’ comment

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have joined a chorus of calls calling for Minister of Police Bheki Cele to resign over his latest comments during a television interview.

Cele was talking about the mass gang rape that took place in an abandoned mine shaft in Krugersdorp last week as the country deals with an epidemic of gender-based violence (GBV), rape and murder cases ahead of Women’s Day on 9 August.

The minister appeared nonchalant in that interview as he described the gruesome details of the mass rape.

One death confirmed directly related to Covid-19 vaccine

One person has died as a result of receiving the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) confirmed.

During a press briefing held earlier today, Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla reported that 37.2 million doses of Johnson&Johnson and Pfizer vaccines have been administrated.

He confirmed that as of 15 July 2022, just over 6 200 adverse events were reported to SAHPRA – translating to 0.017% of those administrated.

Specialised unit ‘a solution’ to deal with illegal mining – Mantashe

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe says he believes a specialised policing unit could be a solution “to a great extend” to tackle illegal mining in the country.

The police arrested more than 120 suspects linked to illegal mining in Krugersdorp so far following the alleged gang rape and robbery of a video production crew in West Village last week.

This incident has since sparked protests in Kagiso, in the West Rand, with residents taking to the streets on Thursday calling for an end to illegal mining, which they say has been the root cause of the high levels of crime in the area.

WATCH: Load shedding flings Ramaphosa’s energy plan off the rails

Barely a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on steps imminently to be taken to ease the Eskom power crisis, the country has once again been plunged into stage 4 load shedding.

The dark lords of Megawatt did not fail to disappoint millions of angry and frustrated South Africans once again by implementing deliberate power cuts.

Eskom on Wednesday, confirmed that load shedding will be upgraded to stage 4 from 4pm on Thursday.

Ex-ANC MP Vincent Smith’s corruption case transferred to the high court

The case against corruption-accused former ANC parliamentarian, Vincent Smith, has been transferred to the Johannesburg High Court.

Smith appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court on Thursday, on charges of tax fraud, money laundering, corruption, and breach of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act.

According to the spokesperson for National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate, Sindisiwe Seboka, the case will be heard in the high court on 15 November 2022.

WATCH: Mzansi reacts to snippet season premier of ‘Uyajola 99’

Mzansi’s favourite dramatic reality television show Uyajola 99 is back and viewers will be delighted to know that Molemo ‘Jub Jub’ Maarohanye will be back at Moja Love as the host of the show.

Sometime in June the television personality took to social media to post a promo video of the new season of the reality television show which was in the production phase at that time.

In the caption of the post, he announced that he will once again be hosting the reality television show.

WATCH: Kurt-Lee says he’s ready to step into Cheslin’s massive Bok shoes

Springbok speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse is fired up and ready to step into the massive shoes of Cheslin Kolbe when he lines up on the right wing against the All Blacks in the opening game of the Rugby Championship at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

The inexperienced Arendse, who will be playing in just his second ever Test, has been backed to replace the injured Kolbe, who broke his jaw during the third Test decider against Wales in mid-July and is ruled out until at least September.