Daily news update: Spotlight on Thembisa 10, Niehaus vs ANC and load shedding to move to stage 3

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Independent’s decuplet baby smuggling claims ‘false rumour mongering’ – hospital

Independent Media Group’s boss Iqbal Survé held a bizarre media briefing on Wednesday, where they made claims of a grand human trafficking conspiracy involving doctors, social workers, government and anyone else who has ever demanded a shred of proof of the (in)famous Thembisa 10’s existence.

Survé accused government hospitals of being the “epicentre” of human trafficking, and powerful politicians of threatening all doctors, nurses, and staff who thought of exposing these activities of being threatened with legal action, and having their careers destroyed.

‘Thembisa 10’: Gauteng government to sue Independent Media

The Gauteng government has announced that it will not take lightly the Independent Media Group’s claims of human trafficking, illegal detention, and a grand baby smuggling conspiracy, and plans to take the matter to court.

This was announced in a statement sent on Wednesday afternoon, following Independent Media Group boss Iqbal Survé’s media briefing where the claims were made.“The provincial government has instructed the State Attorney to institute legal action against the Independent Media group,” reads a statement from the provincial government.

Eskom a prime target of state capture, says Gordhan

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says Eskom was a prime target of state capture and corruption, which has contributed to the challenges it is now facing.

Gordhan said this during a media briefing with Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter on the challenges faced by the power utility on Wednesday evening.

Gordhan assured South Africans that the power utility was taking steps to deal with the load shedding crisis and said that in addition to maintenance issues, state capture also played a huge role in what is happening at the power utility.

Niehaus slams ‘silly tit-for-tat politics’ after ANC slaps him with disciplinary charges

Suspended outspoken ANC member Carl Niehaus has questioned the timing of the ANC’s decision to institute disciplinary charges against him, describing the governing party’s move as “silly tit-for-tat politics”.

Niehaus believes the charges against him are in retaliation to his decision to lay criminal charges against the ANC’s top-six leaders over the party’s failure to pay salaries on time, and his threat to institute legal proceedings to declare the ANC insolvent.

The ANC last Friday charged him with six counts for allegedly contravening rules 25.17.5 of the party’s constitution.

Sanral responds to claims it doesn’t pay its City Power bills

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has responded to claims that it doesn’t pay its City Power bills.

Sanral said it “noted with concern allegations made by the Democratic Alliance [DA], and wishes to state the allegations made by the DA are untrue”.

The party’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate Mpho Phalatse promised to switch off the electricity supply to the e-toll gantries if elected.

The party said it had been informed that Sanral are currently in arrears with City Power.

Employers within their rights to fire staff who won’t vaccinate – SAHRC

Employers are within their rights to fire staff who won’t vaccinate, especially if the company has imposed a mandatory vaccine policy.

From a legal standpoint, it would appear that employers who dismiss an employee for failing to be vaccinated will not have infringed on that person’s constitutional rights, nor will this constitute unfair discrimination.

This interpretation of the law is supported by the South Africa Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).