Daily news update: Parliament fire, MMC’s ‘designer’ clothing, 6 dead after driver falls asleep

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Parliament fire: De Lille confirms arrest of suspect, Hawks to investigate

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille confirmed on Sunday that a man had been arrested in connection with the parliament fire and that a docket has been handed over to the Hawks.

During his initial media address on Sunday afternoon, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that a suspect was being questioned in connection with the parliament fire.

De Lille later confirmed that a 51-year-old man was arrested by the Hawks and it was found that the sprinklers didn’t work because someone had closed the valves.

Be grateful one city works, says Ramaphosa in Parliament fire address

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed members of the media outside Parliament while a fire that broke out early on Sunday morning continued to rage. 

“Had [the firefighters] not responded in the six minutes, I think we would be talking about the National Assembly and the [National] Council of Provinces being in complete ashes,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the dedication of emergency services showed that “we do have one city that works, a province that works, and we do have a government that works when the chips are down. And this is a demonstration of precisely that.” 

Health MMC under fire for visiting hospitals in ‘designer’ clothing

Ekurhuleni’s MMC of Health and Social Development Charlotte Zitha has come under fire on social media for her love of designer clothing.

On New Year’s Day, Zitha joined her counterparts in health departments across the nation to pay visits to mothers who had just welcomed children on New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

The City’s official account documented her visit but it was her choice of clothing that caught people’s eye.

In pictures and videos posted on social media, Zitha can be seen wearing a silk Chanel kaftan with a matching headscarf.

Zitha was criticised for wearing such clothing during a hospital visit to people who were either not feeling well or probably had little money.

Six dead in crash after taxi driver allegedly falls asleep behind the wheel

The driver of a taxi who allegedly fell asleep behind the wheel on the N1 highway near Laingsburg, Western Cape on 1 January is lucky to be alive, after crashing into a concrete barrier. 

Of the 15 occupants, six died and nine were injured, Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane told SA Trucker. 

One of the deceased was a young girl.

Man who allegedly cut out girlfriend’s intestines shot dead by police in KZN

A case of death as a result of police action is currently being investigated after a man stabbed his girlfriend to death in KwaZulu-Natal. 

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said in a statement on Sunday the 34-year-old man allegedly fatally stabbed his girlfriend while visiting her on 1 January.

After the incident, he was reported to police. 

When authorities arrived at the deceased girlfriend’s home, they allegedly found the boyfriend cutting the woman’s stomach open and removing her intestines, “as if he was conducting the post mortem”.