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Daily news update: Ex-MEC liable in Life Esidimeni | Police hunt two in Freitag murder | Ex-VBS boss sentenced to 495 years
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled that some of the deaths at Life Esidimeni were due to negligence on the part of the province’s former Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu.
Meanwhile, police have shared the photos of two people they have obtained arrest warrants for in connection with former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag’s murder.
Furthermore, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has sentenced former Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi to 495 years for his crimes.
News Today: 11 July 2024
The weather service has warned of damaging winds, heavy rain, and high fire danger in several areas. – full weather forecast here.
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Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu responsible for Life Esidimeni, court rules
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled that some of the deaths at Life Esidimeni were due to negligence on the part of the province’s former Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu.
Judge Mmonoa Teffo delivered her findings into the Life Esidimeni inquest on Wednesday.
Teffo ruled that Mahlangu and former director of Gauteng’s mental health services, Dr Makgabo Manamela were responsible for the deaths of nine patients.
CONTINUE READING: Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu responsible for Life Esidimeni, court rules
Western Cape may close up to 53 schools due to severe weather, 5 000 displaced
The Western Cape provincial government plans to close up to 53 schools across six districts after severe weather made the instruction of learning difficult, and in some cases, impossible.
On Wednesday, a day after public schools across the country opened for the third term, some schools in the province remained closed due to flooding, inaccessibility to access routes, and damage to buildings.
A total of 137 schools have been impacted in the province, with 18 being flooded. The possible closure of the 53 schools is a precautionary response ahead of a level 8 weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service for Thursday.
CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Western Cape may close up to 53 schools due to severe weather, 5 000 displaced
Police say two on the run for former high jump star Jacques Freitag’s murder
Police have shared the photos of two people they have obtained arrest warrants for in connection with former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag’s murder.
Freitag’s bullet-ridden body was found in a field near the Zandfontein Cemetery in Pretoria West last Monday afternoon, 1 July, during an extensive search operation for the missing man.
The former top athlete was allegedly also stabbed. The police’s search for the knife, projectile and bullet casings, however, yielded no results.
CONTINUE READING: Police say two on the run for former high jump star Jacques Freitag’s murder
Massive earthquake strikes seabed off SA’s Cape coast
It’s hard to believe, but an “atomic bomb”-scale earthquake shook the ocean floor a mere 2000km from Mossel Bay this morning.
The earthquake – measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale – was recorded at 6.55am on Wednesday, 10 July about 2,140km south of Mossel Bay in the Indian Ocean.
Volcano Discovery reported that very strong shaking near the epicentre was detected with the estimated seismic energy activity of the earthquake measured at 197 gigawatt hours, which is equivalent to 10.6 atomic bombs.
CONTINUE READING: Massive earthquake strikes seabed off SA’s Cape coast
Court sentences former VBS boss Tshifhiwa Matodzi to 495 years
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has sentenced former Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi to 495 years for his crimes.
Matodzi appeared in court on Wednesday after entering into a plea agreement with the state.
As part of the agreement, he pleaded guilty to all 33 charges.
CONTINUE READING: Court sentences former VBS boss Tshifhiwa Matodzi to 495 years
In other news today:
- Gauteng government accepts High Court ruling on Life Esidimeni
- ANC’s Cyril Xaba elected unopposed as eThekwini mayor
- Suspects can’t afford R1k bail – Groenewald‘s overcrowding prison headache
- Netcare suspends male nurse for alleged sexual assault of patient after operation
- Devastating veld fires in KZN leave 53 homeless, claim one life
Yesterday’s News recap
READ HERE: Hlophe appointed to JSC | Explosives found at mosque | Challenges rock return to school
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