Daily news update: Thabo Bester saga, Mkhwebane gives deadline and state of disaster cancelled

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: 6 April

EXCLUSIVE: Thabo Bester’s Dr Nandipha and the abandoned Merc at Zim border [watch]

As police scour the country for notorious “Facebook rapist” Thabo Bester — the convicted murderer whose exploits in prison and on the run have stunned South Africans — explosive new details now point to a plan to skip the country via the Zimbabwean border.

Newly revealed video footage obtained by The Citizen adds yet another twist to the tale. In the video, one half of South Africa’s most wanted couple, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, admits to defaulting on a luxury car when confronted by a private investigator who traced it to a neighbouring country.

READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Thabo Bester’s Dr Nandipha and the abandoned Merc at Zim border [watch]

Mkhwebane gives Ramaphosa, Mapisa-Nqakula until Thursday to respond to her letter

Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting his urgent intervention in the saga involving funding for her legal fees.

Mkhwebane’s letter to Ramaphosa, National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Committee chairperson Qubudile Dyantyi follows her threat on Tuesday to take further legal action after the Section 194 Committee continued without her lawyers present.

READ MORE: Mkhwebane gives Ramaphosa, Mapisa-Nqakula until Thursday to respond to her letter

Govt withdraws Eskom’s national state of disaster on electricity

Government has officially withdrawn the national state of disaster on electricity.

“All regulations and directions made in terms of Section 27(2) of the Act pursuant to the declaration of the national state of disaster to deal with the impact or the severe electricity supply constraint are repealed,” it said in a statement.

READ MORE: Govt withdraws Eskom’s national state of disaster on electricity

Godongwana withdraws Eskom’s PFMA exemption

The National Treasury has decided to withdraw the exemption granted to Eskom from reporting irregular wasteful and fruitless expenditure in its annual financial statements.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirmed the decision in a joint meeting with various parliamentary committees on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Godongwana withdraws Eskom’s PFMA exemption

Saps ordered to apologise for distributing details of women in Krugersdorp gang rape case

The Information Regulator (IR) has found that the South African Police Services (Saps) violated the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia) by distributing the personal details of alleged sexual assault victims of the Krugersdorp gang rape case.

The regulator held a media briefing on Tuesday to provide updates on a number of investigations it had been conducting, including the Krugersdorp gang rape case.

READ MORE: Saps ordered to apologise for distributing details of women in Krugersdorp gang rape case

SA Rugby, Sharks pay respects to McIntosh: ‘Revolutionary, icon, legend’

Players, administrators and fans paid tribute to former Springbok coach and Sharks rugby legend Ian McIntosh on Wednesday following the news of his death, due to cancer, at the age of 84.

McIntosh was fondly remembered, with the likes of 2007 World Cup winner Bryan Habana calling him “a remarkable man” while 1995 World Cup hero Kobus Wiese said: “Few men have left such an impact through the great game of rugby on so many lives. His passion and commitment were legendary.”

READ MORE: SA Rugby, Sharks pay respects to McIntosh: ‘Revolutionary, icon, legend’