Daily news update: Covid-19 stats, SA mourns George Bizos, load shedding and Andile Lungisa loses SCA bid

Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news:

Covid-19 update: SA records 1,990 new cases and 82 deaths

Source: Health department

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says South Africa is over the Covid-19 surge, however, he cautioned that the country was “not out of the woods” yet.

During an interview on Wednesday on Radio Islam, Mkhize said since the first recorded case of Covid-19 in South Africa, the country has done its best, with the number of positive cases now over 640,000, which he said was “an indication of how much people in the country have been” infected and just over 15,000 deaths reported related to Covid-19.

Human rights advocate George Bizos has died

George Bizos at Ahmed Kathrada’s funeral, 29 March 2017. Picture: Tracy-Lee Stark

Renowned human rights advocate George Bizos has died aged 92. He died late this afternoon.

Bizos celebrated his 92nd birthday in November last year. He was born on 15 November 1927 .

Also read: Rivonia trial: Legal eagles who fought the brave fight

In a statement, the SAHETI school, which Bizos founded, sent its condolences to the Bizos family.

“We are privileged as a school to have benefited from the life of a man who gave of his time and energy contributing to the shaping of SAHETI as we know it and enabling us to, ‘Aim just a little higher.’”

Possibility of load shedding remains high on Thursday, warns Eskom

Load shedding. Image: iStock

With the continued recovery of available capacity to meet demand, Eskom did not implement load shedding on Wednesday.

The power utility had announced that it would implement Stage 1 load shedding on Wednesday, only to suspend the power cuts which were scheduled to start from 4pm.

SCA dismisses Andile Lungisa’s assault conviction appeal

Andile Lungisa at a media briefing held at Luthuli House in Johannesburg. Gallo images

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has dismissed former ANC youth league deputy president Andile Lungisa’s appeal against his assault conviction and sentence.

In 2018, the former youth league leader was found guilty of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and sentenced to three years in prison, of which one year was suspended for a period of five years on condition that he was not convicted of similar crimes during the period of suspension.

EFF tells fighters to ‘hit back’ after laying charges against ‘psychotic’ woman

The 52-year-old woman was arrested after she pulled out a pistol and pointed it at some EFF supporters protesting at a Clicks store in a mall in Walmer, Port Elizabeth. Picture: Twitter / @RenaldoGouws

“We commend our members for maintaining calm and restraint in a moment where their lives were being threatened. They exhibited the utmost discipline as instructed in the face of provocation, and this only proves that the EFF has had no intention of violence throughout our protests,” said the party in a statement.

DA health visits expose flaws in proposed NHI Bill

DA Chief Whip Natasha Mazzone. Photo: Twitter @Africansoil

The NHI Bill will resume on the agenda of the normal programme of parliament in the coming weeks as the portfolio committee of health resumes the legislative process. This after the NHI public hearings were concluded in February but the process was suspended as parliament moved to a new way of conducting its affairs due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hawks deny Norma Gigaba’s arrest was unlawful, ‘didn’t seize devices’

Norma Gigaba. Photo: Instagram

Norma Gigaba insists that her arrest was anything but routine. She is challenging the rationality, constitutionality and validity of the warrant used to arrest her on 31 July, just hours after she threatened to take legal action against the Hawks for seizing her devices less than two weeks before.

‘Keeping up with The Kardashians’ coming to an end after 14 years

Image: Instagram

The show garnered millions of views across the globe and saw the sisters walk down the aisle, grow their families and launch multimillion-dollar empires.

The show was not without controversy and numerous catfights between the sisters, divorces, break-ups and the sister’s constant bickering, as well as Kourtney, the oldest of the sisters, threatening to quit.

It’s been reported that ratings had taken a serious dip for the worst.

‘Jerusalema’ now the number one Shazamed song globally

Master KG. Image: Instagram @Masterkgsa

In July, the song was in top 4 on Shazam at the time Master KG said he never had thought the song would reach the heights it would.

ALSO READ: Master KG ‘Jerusalema’ fourth most-searched song on Shazam

Celebrities quickly congratulated Master KG on his latest achievement. Rapper Cassper Nyovest couldn’t help but throw shade at a certain award show.

Even Pitso would love to coach Chiefs or Pirates – Benni

Benni McCarthy, head coach of Cape Town City (Chris Ricco/BackpagePix)

When asked if he would be keen to work with his former coach Gavin Hunt as his assistant at one of the Soweto giants, McCarthy said: “You’re trying to say to me that Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho can work together. How is that going to work?”

McCarthy is currently in Scotland with his family and has often said he would welcome an opportunity to come back to South Africa.

Crunch-time for Rugby Champs

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber will know in the next day or two whether his team will be in action in the Rugby Championships later this year. Picture: EPA

D-day is apparently here for the Springboks and the 2020 Rugby Championship. Firstly, will the competition take place and, if it does, where will it be staged?

The location of the Championship – pushed out from earlier this year when the spread of Covid-19 suspended all sport across the world – has become a hotly debated topic Down Under with both New Zealand and Australia mentioned as possible hubs to host the Championship.

190 kW Volkswagen Amarok finally priced as South Africa’s new most powerful bakkie

Volkswagen Amarok V6 TDI takes back the crown of South Africa’s most powerful bakkie

After close on two years, Volkswagen has finally announced pricing for the upgraded 190 kW Amarok V6 TDI. Effectively replacing the now discontinued Mercedes-Benz X-Class as South Africa’s most premium double cab, the newcomer also replaces the entire 165 kW model line-up, and aside from the 25 kW power uptake, the 3.0 TDI bent-six’s torque output increases from 550 Nm to 580 Nm.

Hyundai reveals more of all-new Tucson as global unveiling looms closer

New Hyundai Tucson

Having begun the process last week of revealing the all-new Tucson, Hyundai has taken more cladding off of its compact SUV less than a week before its official international debut.

As indicated, the Tucson boasts a slightly different take on Hyundai’s Sensual Sportiness design language, in the form of not only a new interpretation of the jewelled grille, but also the dual headlight design the South Korean marque has dubbed  Parametric Hidden Lights.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.