South Africa

Daily news update: R170k for Cele’s AKA briefing | ‘SA warned Israel’s war would escalate’ | Liezel de Jager husband ‘found dead’

News today includes the Democratic Alliance (DA) has yet again questioned Police Minister Bheki Cele‘s travel costs, this time after he travelled to KwaZulu-Natal for a media briefing.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Iran’s attack on Israel happened because of the failure to handle the war between Israel and Palestine and that South Africa had warned against escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Furthermore, murder-accused Werner de Jager has reportedly killed himself in the Westville Prison in Durban, where he was being held.

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News Today: 16 April 2024

The weather service has warned of disruptive rain leading to localised flooding and short disruptions of essential services in five provinces and severe thunderstorms, heavy downpours, flooding, and strong winds in KwaZulu-Natal. – full weather forecast here.

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Over R170k spent to fly Bheki Cele to AKA murder briefing in KZN

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has yet again questioned Police Minister Bheki Cele‘s travel costs, this time after he travelled to KwaZulu-Natal for a media briefing.

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Although the party welcomed the arrest of the Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes murder suspects, it criticised Cele for holding a press conference “to show South Africa that Saps is doing its job it is supposed to be doing”.

Police Minister Bheki Cele. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen

After the media briefing, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police Okkie Terblanche wrote a letter to the police minister asking what the total cost of arranging and staging the media briefing he held on 27 February 2024 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, was.

CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Over R170k spent to fly Bheki Cele to AKA murder briefing in KZN (VIDEO)

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‘I object to anyone who suggests AKA killed our daughter’ – Anele Tembe’s father

Speaking on the third anniversary of the death of his daughter Anele Tembe, Moses Tembe said he had affection for Anele’s fiancé AKA, dispelling suggestion that the Tembe family was involved in the murder of the rapper.

“I object to anyone who suggests Kiernan killed our daughter. I’m saying we need to lead with evidence and the evidence will tell us exactly what happened,” averred Tembe, in a sit-down with the State broadcaster, SABC.

Moses Tembe and his late daughter Anele. The father has spoken to media three years after his daughter’s passing. Picture: Twitter

Anele fell to her death from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town on 11 April 2021 while in the city for the weekend with AKA, who was due to perform at the Ayepyep Lifestyle Lounge.

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CONTINUE READING: WATCH: ‘I object to anyone who suggests AKA killed our daughter’ – Anele Tembe’s father (VIDEO)


‘SA had warned Israel’s war in Gaza would escalate’ – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa said Iran’s attack on Israel happened because of the failure to handle the war between Israel and Palestine and that South Africa had warned against escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Iran launched more than 300 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles from Iran, Iraq and Yemen on Saturday night, with Israel claiming that the majority of them were intercepted.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the ANC’s election campaign in Orange Farm on Sunday. Photo: X/@kraalit_sa

Tehran said it carried out the attack in response to an Israeli raid on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, on 1 April.

It said the matter can now “be deemed concluded.”

CONTINUE READING: WATCH: ‘SA had warned Israel’s war in Gaza would escalate’ – Ramaphosa (VIDEO)


‘Most of us were in shock’ – Cape Town bar slammed over alleged homophobic slurs and racism

As the “Rainbow Nation” celebrates 30 years of democracy, racial and gender equality has been thrown back into the spotlight following an alleged homophobic and racist incident in Cape Town.

An innocent night of fun and celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday allegedly turned sour for a group of 20-year-olds at Dust and Dynamite bar in the city on Friday.

closeup of a young caucasian man with the palm of his hand in front of his face with text LGBTQ, for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, written in it. Image Supplied

One of the group, who used the name Khanyisa Mabizela to protect her identity, told The Citizen, the problem began when they were subjected to discrimination from staff who allegedly refused to serve the black members of the group. The group consisted of “half of gay/queer” members.

CONTINUE READING: WATCH: ‘Most of us were in shock’ – Cape Town bar slammed over alleged homophobic slurs and racism (VIDEO)


‘If he planned to take his life, he took a coward’s way out’- Shock as Liezel de Jager husband ‘found dead’

Murder accused Werner de Jager has reportedly killed himself in the Westville Prison in Durban, where he was being held.

Werner was accused of murdering his wife, Rev. Liezel de Jager, in 2021.

Werner de Jager Picture: Gallo Images

Ian Cameron who was involved with Action Society when Rev. Liezel was murdered, shared news of Warner’s reported death.

CONTINUE READING: ‘If he planned to take his life, he took a coward’s way out’- Shock as Liezel de Jager husband ‘found dead’ (VIDEO)


In other news today:


Yesterday’s News recap

READ HERE: Madonsela on Zuma, Nzimande Nsfas briefing, load shedding and more

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By Chulumanco Mahamba
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