Daily news update: Voting on Section 89 report postponed, Mkhwebane inquiry and remembering Mandela

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Daily news update: 6 December

Voting on Section 89 report postponed to next week

The Special National Assembly Programme Committee has postponed the vote on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment to next Tuesday.

MPs were initially scheduled to meet tomorrow to decide if the Section 89 panel report should be adopted.

While tomorrow’s sitting will continue as planned, to discuss other items on the agenda, the vote on the Section 89 panel report will take place next Tuesday, as a standalone item.

This is due to “logistical matters”, according to National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and to also allow for all MPs to be physically present, as requested by political parties.

Mkhwebane inquiry: Mpofu accuses chair of trying to put witness through ‘Spanish Inquisition’

The hearings into Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office is set to resume in January next year.

Mkhwebane’s third witness, Zambian Public Protector Caroline Zulu-Sokoni, was expected to testify at the Section 194 Inquiry on Monday, but could not do so.

“That has created a few compilations,” Mkhwebane’s lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu told the inquiry.

Mpofu explained that Zulu-Sokoni could not give her oral evidence due to the fact that she was nominated for a judge position in Zambia more than a week ago.

“According to our original plan, she was not even supposed to testify now in December. We would have called her when we come back, but we got concerned that we might lose her if her appointment to the bench was immediate.”

Remembering an icon: Today marks 9 years since Madiba’s passing

Today marks nine years since the passing of South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela.

9th anniversary of Madiba’s passing

It was on this day – on 5 December 2013 – when Madiba, as he was affectionately known, died at the age of 95 after a prolonged respiratory infection.

Various events are planned on Monday to honour and remember the legacy of the former statesman. The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Joburg City Parks & Zoo are expected to open the Jukskei Park in Riverlea, Johannesburg, in honour of Mandela’s legacy and the values that he espoused.

Police to deploy additional 10 000 officers to bolster festive season operations

As the festive season kicks off, the police ministry has welcomed an additional 10 000 newly trained constables to help ramp up the fight against crime in the country.

The new constables who will be graduating from 13 December 2022, are part of the Project 10 000 police officers initiative.

They will be deployed to various stations, units and service points to bolster capacity and enhance police visibility.

This comes as the ministry is expected to kick off Festive Season Operations Inspection Roadshow in Limpopo on Monday.

Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said the annual countrywide Festive Season Operations Inspection Roadshow aims to ensure that police are responding effectively and adequately to crime and all safety and security threats this festive season.

Missing Bok wing Sbu Nkosi spotted in Mpumalanga — report

Springbok World Cup winner from 2019, Sbu Nkosi, who has been missing since the middle of November, has apparently been spotted in Mpumalanga, according to a report in Sowetan.

The former Sharks wing, who now plays for the Bulls, apparently failed to turn up for any training sessions since November 11.

All attempts, including by phone and by going to his latest known address, to reach Nkosi apparently failed, prompting the Bulls to alert the public to the problem.

‘Nothing could have prepared me for this’ – Lamiez on pregnancy struggles

Lamiez Holworthy-Morule is sharing her own truth about pregnancy, saying it’s not all roses and satisfying cravings. 

Lamiez and her husband, hip-hop artist Khuli Chana announced in November that they are expecting their first child together. Khuli has two children from a previous relationship.

Since this is Lamiez’s first child the DJ says she is experiencing a lot of changes.