Daily news update: ANC elects new WC leadership, DA takes action against Bhanga, Dutch MotoGP

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Daily news update: 26 June 2023

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday urged the newly elected Western Cape ANC leaders to get to work to win over voter support in the DA-run province.

The province finally elected new leaders after countless postponements since the election of Marius Fransman in 2015.

Closing the conference on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa said winning the province should be the primary task that “needs an outlined and clear path.”

READ MORE: ‘Western Cape not a lost cause’ : Ramaphosa says ANC can unseat DA

Vuyiso Tyhalisisu is the new ANC Western Cape chair

Meanwhile, former Dullah Omar regional secretary Vuyiso “JJ” Tyhalisisu was elected as the new ANC Western Cape chairperson at the party’s elective conference, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Sunday.

He won the race with 311 votes compared to ANC leader in the provincial legislature Cameron Dugmore Dugmore’s 282.

READ MORE: The votes are in: Vuyiso Tyhalisisu is the new ANC Western Cape chair

DA takes action against Nqaba Bhanga for Zille racism accusation

Democratic Alliance (DA) Eastern Cape MPL Nqaba Bhanga faces suspension from the party after he accused federal chairperson Helen Zille of racism and spying on black people.

Bhanga further accused Zille of working with the ANC to destroy him in Facebook posts over the weekend.

The posts have since been deleted.

READ MORE: DA takes action against Nqaba Bhanga for Zille racism accusation

Russia received China’s ‘support’ over Wagner mutiny: ministry

Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that Beijing had backed Moscow’s efforts to counter a short-lived armed uprising led by the head of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilise the situation in the country in connection with the events of June 24, and reaffirmed its interest in strengthening the unity and further prosperity of Russia,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

READ MORE: Russia received China’s ‘support’ over Wagner mutiny: ministry

Heartache for Brad Binder at Dutch MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia won the Dutch MotoGP at Assen on Sunday to extend his lead in the championship.

Pole-sitter Marco Bezzecchi took second with Brad Binder in third only for KTM’s South African rider to pick up a penalty for exceeding track limits that saw him demoted to fourth.

That promoted Aleix Espargaro to the podium after Binder suffered exactly the same fate in Saturday’s sprint.

READ MORE: Heartache for Brad Binder at Dutch MotoGP