Daily news update: Calls for Ramaphosa’s head, Barbados PM hurt Mandela called a sellout, FlySafair plane struck by SAA aircraft

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Daily news update – 13 November

ANC NEC: Ramaphosa’s detractors call for his head over Phala Phala debacle

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s critics, led by presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on Friday called on him to step aside over the Phala Phala farm robbery fiasco.

Ramaphosa reportedly discussed Phala Phala during his opening speech on the first day of the African National Congress (ANC) NEC meeting being held at Nasrec Expo Centre, south of Johannesburg, on Friday.

Leading the charge at the NEC meeting were supporters of the radical economic transformation (RET) faction led by Dlamini-Zuma, former Cosatu president and small business development Deputy Minister Sidumo Dlamini, staunch supporter of former president Jacob Zuma Tony Yengeni and ANC MP Tandi Mahambehlala.

Barbados PM Mottley disappointed Mandela labelled a sellout

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said she is hurt that former South African president Nelson Mandela is labelled a sellout by some people.

Mottley said this while giving the 20th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture at the Durban International Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.

“It hurt me to hear that they are some who believe that Madiba did not do enough, and perhaps worse, for a few that he might have been a sellout – all because what they believe, justifiably so, should be theirs today, is not yet theirs,” said Mottley.

FlySafair plane struck by SAA aircraft in parking accident at OR Tambo airport

A South African Airways (SAA) Airbus A320 that was being towed at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg hit a stationary FlySafair plane, leading to both aircraft being unable to take to the sky.

The SAA wing tip and the FlySafair tail section were damaged.

SAA said that its Airbus A320 was being towed from the airport ramp to the maintenance facility when the accident occurred. It said the tow bar of a tow truck broke, which caused the plane to veer off and hit a parked FlySafair aircraft.

KZN MEC to visit relatives of six family members who died in truck crash

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka on Saturday said he would soon visit the Tenza family, who lost six family members in an accident involving a truck and a car near Umzimkhulu.

All six died at the horrific scene on the R56 in southern KwaZulu-Natal on Friday evening.

“On behalf of the provincial government, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Tenza family. It is unimaginable how can one family lose so many members in one accident.”

Hawks shut down drug labs and arrest a speeding meth dealer in Sandton

When members of the Hawks pulled over what just seemed like a man on his way home from work on the corner of Rivonia Road and Kelvin Drive in Sandton, they did not expect to find R700 000 of crystal meth in his workbag.

The 38-year-old Tanzanian national – known as Roderick Benedict Assey – had been speeding in his white Hyundai Sedan, when he came across the radar of police officers who were actually stationed out there on a different observation assignment.

Alerted to the suspicious behaviour, the Hawks officers flagged him down. The vehicle was thereafter searched.

‘Jesus Christ’ gets verified on Twitter thanks to Elon Musk

The aftershocks of Twitter’s acquisition by the world’s richest man Elon Musk are still being felt on the internet after the account of Jesus Christ, the supposed Lord and Savior, was verified by the social media network.

The account, along with the blue verification mark, features a cartoonish profile picture of Jesus Christ pointing his right index finger and raising his left thumb with a wink and a smile.

Man nabbed for trying to kidnap child for ransom in Lenasia

Gauteng police have arrested a 55-year-old Indian national after an attempted kidnapping for ransom of a minor child in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.

The man was handcuffed during a sting operation led by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of police, other authorities and private security.