Daily news update: Murder-accused apartheid cop dies, Ramaphosa address expected and rain washes away KZN house

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Ramaphosa expected to announce easing of lockdown restrictions

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce an easing of lockdown restrictions in the next few days after meeting the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) on Tuesday.

South Africa is currently under level 3 restrictions.

According to a News24 report, possible changes could include adjusting the curfew to 11pm to 4am and increasing the number of people at indoor gatherings from 50 to 100 and 250 for outdoor gatherings.

WATCH: Heavy rain washes away part of KZN house and road

Heavy rains have washed away an electricity pole, torn a house apart and washed away a road at 5 Twilight Avenue in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

According to a resident in the area, storm water rushed through the property, ripping the other section apart, leaving the remaining part on the edge.

The road was also washed away into the ditch, along with part of the house.

Murder-accused apartheid cop João Rodrigues has died

Former apartheid police officer João Rodrigues, who was facing a charge of murdering anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol 50 years ago, has died. 

Lawyer, Ben Minnaar, told News24Rodrigues died at his home on Monday night, and that he had been sick for some time. 

Timol’s death was initially ruled a suicide, but this judgment was later reversed, and Rodrigues was charged with his murder. 

At the time of Rodrigues’s death, he faced a murder charge and defeating the ends of justice. 

SA economy grew by 1,2% in second quarter

South Africa’s GDP increased by 1,2% in the second quarter of this year, thanks largely to the transport, storage and communication industry, which increased by 6,9% in the second quarter and made the largest contribution to GDP growth, namely 0,5 percentage points.

Statistics SA on Tuesday released the latest gross domestic product (GDP) statistics that also shows that unadjusted real GDP for the first six months of 2021 increased by 7,5% compared to the first six months of 2020.

Richard Mdluli case delayed again as he waits for state to foot his legal bill

The corruption case against Richard Mdluli has been postponed again as the former Crime Intelligence (CI) boss waits for a decision on whether the state will pay his legal fees.

The high court in Pretoria postponed the case to 23 November 2021.

Mdluli and his co-accused – former CI supply chain manager Heine Barnard and former chief financial officer of the State Security Agency Solomon Lazarus – face charges of corruption, fraud and theft relating to the alleged looting of a Crime Intelligence slush fund. The crimes were allegedly committed between 2008 and 2012.

DA to have Zuma’s medical parole decision reviewed

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be taking legal steps to have the decision to grant medical parole to Jacob Zuma reviewed.

The party believes the decision to release the former president on medical grounds was patently unlawful.

“We will, by way of an application to the court, seek the record of decision that led to the granting of this parole,” said DA leader John Steenhuisen.

The embattled National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Arthur Fraser, is believed to have signed off on the parole application by abusing his power to override the decision of a review panel.