Daily news update: Sahpra rejects Sputnik V vaccine, EFF councillor candidate shot dead and petrol price

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SA puts brakes on Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine over HIV fears

The rollout of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in South Africa has been put on hold for now.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) says it has decided not to approve the vaccine in its current form after research showed that vaccinated men are at risk of getting HIV.

Sahpra has been engaged in a rolling review of the data for the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine since the initial application was submitted in February.

The safety of adenovirus vaccine vectors has been the subject of several studies.

The Step trial primarily used gay men in the Americas, while the Phambili trial in South Africa used heterosexual men and women.

Covid-19 fourth wave expected to hit Gauteng between November and January

While the number of active Covid-19 cases continue to decline in Gauteng, health officials on Monday warned that the risk of a fourth wave remained very high amid a low uptake in vaccinations in the province.

Professor Bruce Mellado, a member of Premier David Makhura’s advisory committee on Covid-19, said the fourth wave was likely to hit Gauteng between November this year and January 2022.

Niehaus files urgent complaint with the Public Protector against ANC

Ex-African National Congress (ANC) staffer and spokesperson of the now disbanded uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) Carl Niehaus has filed an urgent complaint with the office of the Public Protector against the party for corruption.

Niehaus announced the news on Monday and said that he was not done with the party as further complimentary steps were to be announced on Wednesday.

“When we laid the criminal charges against the ANC, we indicated that we intend to take further complimentary steps and that we will also take two further steps in order to bring the matter to the attention of other government institutions,” said Niehaus.

EFF councillor candidate shot and killed in PMB

An aspiring Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) ward councillor candidate was shot and killed in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday.

Michael Thulani Shangase was gunned down in the Herwood area, in Caluza, after returning from an EFF campaign meeting.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said the motive for the killing was not clear and police were on the hunt for suspects.

Case against military veterans who held ministers hostage postponed

The Kgosi Mapuru II Correctional Centre Court in Tshwane has postponed to Tuesday, 19 October, the case against the military veterans charged with allegedly holding three government ministers hostage.

The suspects appeared in court on Monday after they were arrested last Thursday at St George’s Hotel in Irene, Centurion, and charged with kidnapping.

It was widely reported that 56 people had initially been arrested, however, the National Authority Prosecuting (NPA) has suggested otherwise.

According to media reports, the NPA has clarified that a total of 53 people were nabbed, but only 52 appeared in court as one of the suspects is still in hospital.

Shock increase at the pumps expected in November

The Automobile Association (AA) has predicated what it calls “a catastrophic” increase in the price of all grades of fuel for November.

Commenting the first unaudited data report by the Central Energy Fund on Monday (18 October), the AA said current data points to a dramatic 99 cents a litre increase in the price of petrol and an even higher R1.42 hike in the price of diesel and illumining paraffin.

It would therefore lead to 95 unleaded breaking through the R19 a litre mark for the first time at the Reef, while diesel will increase to above the R17 a litre.