A tremor hit parts of Gauteng on Wednesday. Photo: iStock
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South Africans were awoken to a powerful 4.4 magnitude earthquake which was felt across large parts of Gauteng.
The earthquake hit the Gauteng province at approximately 2:38am early on Sunday morning causing homes and buildings to shake.
The National Council for Geoscience said Sunday morning’s tremor in Gauteng measured a magnitude of 4.4.
“The earthquake registered a local magnitude of approximately 4.4 as recorded by the South African Seismograph Network (SANSN). The epicentre was located in the Boksburg area a few kilometres outside East Rand Proprietary Mine (ERPM), in the East Rand of Johannesburg,” it said.
READ MORE: Powerful earthquake hits large parts of Gauteng
Former Cabinet minister and African National Congress (ANC) MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson was reportedly threatened with an arrest just two days before her death.
Joemat-Pettersson died at the age of 59 this week after she was implicated in a R600 000 bribery scandal linked to suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
It has been alleged that Joemat-Pettersson acted as an intermediary in a plot to extort money from Mkhwebane’s husband, David Skosana, in order to have her parliamentary inquiry halted.
Her fellow ANC MPs, Pemmy Majodina and Qubudile Dyantyi, who chairs the Section 194 Inquiry on Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office, were also allegedly involved in the “scheme”.
READ MORE: NPA’s ID denies Tina Joemat-Pettersson was threatened with arrest over Mkhwebane ‘extortion’
Police have arrested a 31- year-old Zimbabwean man in the Thabo Bester matter.
It is understood the suspect was handcuffed on Sunday morning in Johannesburg.
Police said more arrests are expected.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe the man has been charged with assiting Bester to escape.
READ MORE: Police arrest Zimbabwean national in Thabo Bester escape saga
Russian Vladimir Putin is reportedly digging his heels in and insisting on travelling to South Africa for the [Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] Brics summit in August, leaving Pretoria in a puzzle.
The Sunday Times is reporting that Putin did not want to be seen to be isolated and giving in to the pressure of the West as this would make him appear weak.
He is reportedly insisting that he wants to come to the summit and his people are preparing for him to come to SA.
“Russia is pushing its national interests, and it is in their interest to appear strong and among friends. But South Africa can’t be used as a battleground for proxy wars so it has to look after its national interest,” the government official told Sunday Times.
READ MORE: Russian President Vladimir Putin insist on coming to SA – report
Eskom has pushed load shedding to stage 4 from 4pm on Sunday until midnight.
The ailing parastatal said the rolling blackouts will thereafter be suspended until 4pm on Monday.
Eskom interim spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the deliberate power cuts will then be imposed at different stages throughout the week.
READ MORE: Load shedding to be suspended again, here’s your schedule
Pre-race favourites Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn delivered record-breaking performances on Sunday, earning lucrative victories at the Comrades Marathon in Durban.
Defending men’s champion Dijana bided his time, forming part of a large chase group in the early stages of the 87km ultra-marathon as Ayanda Ngcobo led the race through halfway.
He eventually moved in front heading into Pinetown in the latter stages but had to work hard to hold off fighting Dutch athlete Piet Wiersma.
READ MORE: Dijana and Steyn shatter records to win Comrades Marathon
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