Daily news update: SIU order to freeze properties, cars worth R25 million, illegal miners return and Parliament arson

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Daily news update: 5 November

Court grants SIU preservation order to freeze luxury properties, cars worth R25 million

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has on Friday obtained a preservation order from the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, to freeze nine luxury properties in Pretoria, Centurion, Hartbeespoort and Johannesburg, a BMW 420i and two ocean basket franchises in the East Rand with the combined value of approximately R25 million.

This follows SIU investigations in the affairs on the National Lotteries Commission (NLC), which revealed that the acquisition of the properties was allegedly funded by the Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) with money they had received, under the auspices of grant funding, from the NLC.

“The luxury properties, therefore, constitute proceeds of unlawful activities hence the application for a preservation order pending the final determination of the application for final forfeiture,” said the SIU on Friday.

Illegal miners flocked back to Krugersdorp after gang-rape charges were dropped

The community of Krugersdorp said scores of zama zamas returned to the area after the gang rape charges against the 14 illegal miners were dropped due to a lack of evidence.

21 bodies found in Krugersdorp

This after police discovered 19 bodies of suspected illegal miners at an active mine in the West Rand area on Wednesday. The death toll rose to 21 after two more bodies were found on Thursday.

The bodies are believed to have been placed where they were found, however no foul play is suspected and post-mortem results will determine the cause of death.

One of the community members, Stephen Ndlovu, said they have been living in fear ever since the gang rape in July.

The issue of zama zamas in the area resurfaced, when a group of eight women were gang-raped at gunpoint by alleged zama zamas while they were shooting a music video.

Parliament arson: Zandile Mafe to spend Christmas in jail after hearing postponed

Alleged Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe will spend Christmas in jail after his pre-trial hearing was postponed to 27 January 2023.

Mafe was in the dock in the Western Cape High Court on Friday following his refusal to appear in court on two previous dates in August and September.

At the time, his lawyer Luvuyo Godla informed the court that Mafe had gone on a hunger strike and demanded a television set and radio to watch and listen to the news.

ALSO READ: Zandile Mafe refuses to appear in court again, case postponed

He also demanded a kettle to make himself coffee and warm water to take baths because the water at Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town was allegedly cold.

During Mafe’s court appearance on Friday, Godla requested that the pre-trial hearing be postponed because he wanted to consult his client on the contents of a memory stick and the State’s latest bid to conduct another psychiatric evaluation.

‘Hello Mzansi,’ says Gabrielle Union as she travels Africa with her husband

When American celebrities talk about visiting Africa, they usually mean one specific country on the continent, however, this is not the case with Gabrielle Union and her husband Dwayne Wade, who really plan to visit as many locations on the continent as they can. 

The #WadeWorldTour, as the couple calls it, kicked off five days ago with a brief stopover in Zanzibar for the star’s 50th birthday. 

“As we start this journey across the world for my 50th, I just want to luxuriate in my gratitude for my family, my amazing friends and all the friends I haven’t even met in person who have kept this train on the tracks this year, even after I collided with myself. Thank y’all for rockin with the old homie. I appreciate you guys more than you can imagine,” wrote Gabrielle on Instagram along with a picture of herself, her husband and one of their children, Kaavia.