Daily news update: Covid-19 stats, medium-term budget policy statement, Mabuza denies investigation and Malema, Ndlozi’s assault trial

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Covid-19 update: 1,863 new cases bring SA’s total to 719,714

Source: health department

Mboweni pumps money into state capture commission to combat corruption

The National Treasury has taken steps to combat corruption in the country as over R60 million has been allocated to the state capture commission of inquiry while law enforcement agencies are probing R3.5 billion worth of tenders awarded to companies that are not tax compliant.

Tabling the medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) before Parliament on Wednesday afternoon, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said Treasury withdrew emergency procurement processes following “exploitive acts” of corruption when it came to combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mabuza denies involvement in fraudulent Mpumalanga land deals

Deputy President David Mabuza. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng / African News Agency (ANA)

Deputy President David Mabuza says he has no knowledge of any investigation against him following the arrest of MP Bongani Bongo for alleged corruption, fraud, theft, money laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

Following their arrest, rumours started speculating that Mabuza was also being investigated.

DA to report Mboweni to Ethics Committee following Tygerberg Hospital remarks

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivers the medium-term budget in Parliament, 28 October 2020. Picture: GCIS

Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip Natasha Mazzone says the party will report Finance Minister Tito Mboweni to the Ethics Committee following comments he made about the Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape.

In his medium-term budget policy speech on Wednesday, Mboweni outlined infrastructure and structural reforms which he said were at the centre of the recovery plan. The plan would include renovations at hospitals, including the Tygerberg Hospital, which Mboweni said still had a black and white section, structurally.

Presidential protection services at Madikizela-Mandela funeral ‘a joke’ says Malema and Ndlozi’s lawyer

EFF leader Julius Malema arrives at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court. Photo: Twitter/@EFFSouthAfrica

Advocate Laurence Hodes – who is representing Julius Malema and Ndlozi Mbuyiseni in their assault trial – came out swinging on Wednesday afternoon.

He kicked off his cross examination of the Presidential Protection Services’ Lieutenant-Colonel Johannes Venter – whom the pair stand accused of roughing up at struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s 2018 burial – with questions around what had happened after the alleged assault.

Bongo brothers granted R10k bail each, case postponed to March 2021

Bongani Bongo. Picture: Screenshot.

The other suspects, Robert Burwise, Patrick Donald Chirwa, Harrington Sizwakhendaba Dhlamini, Blessing Mduduzi Singwane, David Boy Dube, Vusi Willem Magagula, Bongani Louis Henry Sibiya, Elmon Lawrence Mdaka and Sibongile Mercy Mdaka were charged earlier on Tuesday together with four companies and face 69 counts.

Kelly Khumalo enjoys number one song success

South African singer, actress and dancer Kelly Khumalo at Universal Music Group in Johannesburg, 9 October 2020, at a listening session. Kelly Khumalo’s much-anticipated album, The Voice of Africa, featuring eight. ‘The Voice of Africa’, reflects ‘what we go through as Africans at large’. Picture; Nigel Sibanda

Musician Kelly Khumalo’s successful single, Empini, has been certified gold and is riding high on the charts.

Her album Tvoa (the Voice of Africa) has been received to high acclaim.

During the launch of the album, Kelly said she saw herself as bringing her voice to the continent of Africa and speaking up about important issues that affect people’s daily lives.

How to visit Table Mountain’s aerial cableway for free

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) allows visitors to claim a free tickets for visitors during their birthday month. Picture: Supplied

If it’s your birthday month, you can enjoy Cape Town’s Mountain Aerial Cableway for free. The ticket is, however, only valid within your birthday month.

As an extension of the original birthday special, visitors can now celebrate their birthday any day in their birthday month the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC).

This offer is also extended to include children, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Visitors can collect and redeem their free birthday ticket any day during their birthday month.

Lions’ readiness to take on Griquas: The five burning questions

Willem Alberts has been picked to play in the locks against the Sharks on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

While the Lions didn’t name anyone who’d been tested positive or been in contact with anyone Covid-positive last week (ahead of their game against the Cheetahs, which didn’t go ahead), it didn’t require rocket science to figure out who was injured and who was left out because of health protocols. It now remains to be seen who’s available this week, after missing out last week; some of the players who didn’t crack the team sheet a week ago include Dylan Smith, Jaco Kriel, Burger Odendaal and Willem Alberts; in total 11 players were affected.

Ministry commits to ‘next step’ of finalising interim CSA board

Minister of sport Nathi Mthethwa has given CSA until Tuesday to respond to his deadline of why government should not intervene in sorting out the problems that have beset the organisation in recent times. Picture: Gallo Images

Mthethwa has been active on attempting to clean up CSA’s administrative crisis for over a month now ever since The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) first became involved. Mthethwa has made it clear that he has not been satisfied with the leadership at CSA and it was one of his expectations that the entire board be removed, which has now happened.

This is it: All-new Isuzu MU-X makes dramatic entrance

Second generation Isuzu MU-X.

Like its predecessor, the MU-X is once again based on the D-Max pick-up, but in the case of the latest model, the recipient of the new Drive Dynamics platform and with an altogether more dramatic appearance than before. Despite retaining the same dimensions, the newcomer’s biggest departure, apart from its styling, is a more upmarket and completely redesigned interior taken directly from its ladder-frame sibling.

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