Daily news update: Phala Phala report aftermath, ANC NEC meeting and Walus’ parole

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Daily news update: 2 November

Ramaphosa will make decision that is best for South Africa – Presidency

Amid mounting pressure for President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign following the release of the Section 89 report, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says whatever decision the president makes will be in the best interest of the country.

Magwenya briefed the country on Thursday evening on the president’s response to the report.

As calls for Ramaphosa to resign mount, Magwenya said all options were on the table, and that the president was in consultation with all important role players.

ALSO READ: Phala Phala findings place Ramaphosa’s political career and future into ‘an immediate crisis’

Phala Phala: ANC NEC meeting postponed as Motlanthe rules out returning as president

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting has been postponed to Friday to discuss the Phala Phala report.

The virtual meeting was scheduled for Thursday evening, but the NEC will now sit in person at Nasrec in Johannesburg.

ALSO READ: Independent panel finds Ramaphosa has a case to answer on Phala Phala

Although ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe declined to answer questions from the media regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala saga, he confirmed that the meeting will take place from 11am.

“Give us time to deal with the matter,” Mabe said during a media briefing on Thursday.

Walus’ parole will be finalised after receiving clearance from medical team – correctional services

Janusz Walus, the killer of South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani, will not be released on Thursday as expected, the department of correctional services has confirmed.

“By agreement between his legal representatives and the state attorney, the matter of Walus’ parole will only be finalised after he has received the necessary medical clearance from the medical team,” confirmed spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo in a statement.

Walus, a 69-year-old immigrant from Poland, was expected to be released today after being granted parole by the Constitutional Court on 21 November.

WATCH: EFF shuts down N1 to protest release of Janusz Waluś

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have caused major traffic disruptions by shutting down the busy N1 highway over Janusz Waluś’ parole.

The red berets said the protest is related to the release of South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani‘s assassin Janusz Waluś.

Waluś is expected to be released on Thursday after the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) granted him parole on 21 November.

ALSO READ: Janusz Waluś stabbed in prison – Correctional Services confirms

Connie Ferguson looks bad-a** in ‘Kings of Jo’Burg’ season two first-look images

After leaving her titular role as Harriet Khoza in the long-running Mzansi Magic telenovela, The Queen; actress and producer Connie Ferguson will be playing a more prominent role in her late husband’s show, Kings of Jo’Burg. 

She will be appearing in the show alongside Zolisa Xaluva who now has to carry the dark family secret his on-screen brother, played by Shona Ferguson, used to carry. 

To celebrate the fact that the Masire family returns to Netflix on 27 January 2023, the streaming giant dropped both a teaser trailer and some first-look images for the show ahead of the upcoming season of Kings of Jo’Burg.

Real, Barcelona refuse to attend ‘illegal’ Dubai meeting

Barcelona and Real Madrid on Wednesday united in their opposition to attending a La Liga meeting scheduled to be held in Dubai, deeming the gathering “illegal”.

ALSO READ: Messi misses penalty but still trumps Lewandowski

The Spanish top flight’s general assembly is planned for Dubai on December 7 but will now take place without the country’s two storied clubs.

Real “will not send any representative to Dubai” while the Catalan club also said they “will not attend” in statements issued simultaneously on Wednesday.

Madrid said it was “illegal” to summon the clubs “more than 5,000km from the headquarters of La Liga” and that it was “completely inappropriate and deeply inconsistent for La Liga to carry out such financial expenditure”.