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By Nicholas Zaal

Journalist


Daily news update: Dalinyebo’s weed habit | Sangomas at Sassa | Former boxing champ Dingaan Thobela dies

Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.


In today’s news, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo responds to criticism about him smoking weed, a Sassa office has been closed after traditional healers were discovered to be conducting night rituals there, and former boxing champion Dingaan Thobela dies at the age of 57.

We also look at 6 000 retrenched post office workers threatening to pull their votes from the ANC, three fake police officers who were killed in a shootout with Gauteng police, and Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard’s son being born.

News Today: 29 April 2024

Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.


‘I smoke weed but only unwise people get high’- ‘Father of the Nation’ Dalinyebo hits back [VIDEO]

AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has responded to those who have criticised his controversial personality and decision-making.

AbaThembu King/EFF/ANC/Dalindyebo
AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. Picture: EFF

Addressing a crowd in Bizana, in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, Dalindyebo refuted allegations of being mentally unstable because of his smoking habits.

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WATCH: Sassa staff ‘traumatised and dejected’ by after-hours office ‘rituals’

South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) officials in eMkhondo (formerly Piet-Retief), Mpumalanga have been left “traumatised and dejected” after footage of an alleged “ritual” being conducted in their office after hours.

Ritual/Sassa offices/Mpumalanga/Sassa officials caught/Sangomas/Traditional healers
Picture: Gallo Images

It all started two weeks ago when workers at the regional office complained about finding needles scattered on the floor almost daily.

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Former boxing champion Dingaan Thobela passes away, aged 57

Former multiple world boxing champion Dingaan Thobela has died.

Dingaan Thobela
Dingaan Thobela in 2016. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

The popular 57-year-old boxing personality, fondly nicknamed “The Rose of Soweto”, was found dead in his Johannesburg flat on Monday night. He had not been well for some time.

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WATCH: 6 000 retrenched post office workers question voting for ANC

As a group representing 6 000 retrenched post office workers marched to government offices on Monday demanding their jobs back, they also questioned voting the ANC if their voices were not heard.

Striking Post Office workers
Striking Post Office workers outside the department of communication and Technologies in Hatfield, Pretoria, 29 April 2024, for the unpaid pension fund which was deducted from employees but not deposited into the fund since 2020. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen

The group handed over a memorandum of demands, and the South African Post Office (Sapo) has agreed to halt all retrenchments for now, looking to other sources to recover funding for the next year.

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Three fake cops from notorious N3 blue-light gang killed in shootout

Three members of the feared blue-light gang were killed in a fierce gun battle with Gauteng police officers on Sunday evening, 28 April.

blue-light gang members police
The Toyota Hilux in which members of the blue-light gang fled from the police in a high-speed chase on the N3 highway. Photo: Saps

During this dramatic end to a high-speed chase along the N3 towards Zonkizizwe, in Ekurhuleni, one of the criminals managed to make a quick getaway on foot.

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‘The 2043 World Cup is coming home’: Fans thrilled as Handré Pollard’s son is born [PIC]

It’s raining Springbok babies in Mzansi at the moment and the country is rejoicing at the news of the birth of Handré Pollard’s son. The 2023 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks certainly made the best of the time they got to spend with their families in between training to bring home the Webb Ellis Cup last year.

Handré Pollard son born
Picture: Instagram @handrepollard

Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth and his wife Anlia were the first couple to subtly share their baby news moments after the Boks defeated New Zealand to win the Rugby World Cup for a fourth time. The couple’s baby girl was born on 16 January 2024.

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‘My 750K, please’ – Mohale Motaung puts a TV producer on blast

Reality TV star Mohale Motaung caught a block after he put a TV and film producer, Legend Manqele, on blast, asking for his R750K.

Mohale Motaung
Reality TV show star and businessman, Mohale Motaung. Picture: Instagram

“Love it for you! Now, my 750K, please,” Motaung wrote, responding to Manqele’s lengthy post on X.

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T20 World Cup squad: No matter who is selected, this could finally be the year for the Proteas

Is this finally going to be the year the Proteas end their World Cup trophy drought? It could well be.

Proteas cricketer Faf du Plessis
Former captain Faf du Plessis could be recalled to the national squad for the T20 World Cup. Picture: Punit Paranjpe/AFP

The national cricket team have always been one of the best sides in the world, but since readmission, they have stumbled over and over again at major global tournaments.

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WATCH: Floored — How new SA marathon champ Cian Oldknow got her black eye

New South African women’s national marathon champion Cian Oldknow has revealed in a social media post how she came to have a black eye following her historic win in Durban on Saturday.

Cian Oldknow
Cian Oldknow shows off her winner’s medal. Picture: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

Oldknow became the new SA marathon champion after running the 42.2km distance in 2:29:46, a new course record. The SA champs formed part of the Durban International marathon on Saturday.

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