Daily news update: Flights to UK to resume, fuel price increase, Mogoeng ‘cured HIV/Aids’

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Flights to UK will resume on Wednesday but SA remains on red list

Direct flights between South Africa and the UK are set to resume on Wednesday.

The British government and a number of other countries – including the US – imposed a travel ban on South Africa following the detection of a new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron.

The new Covid variant was detected initially in three cases in Botswana, six in South Africa, and one in Hong Kong in a traveller returning from South Africa.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) has argued that there is no scientific basis for banning travel from South Africa over the Omicron variant, the country remains on the UK’s red list despite the travel ban being lifted.

Fuel price: Increase in petrol and diesel for December

South African motorists are facing another steep fuel price increase ahead of the festive season.

On Monday, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy announced that the petrol price will go up by 81 cents per litre, with the current price standing at R19.50 per litre. 

The maximum LPGas retail price will increase by 183.00c/kg, while the Single Maximum National Retail Price for December will be 1,489.00 cents per litre compared to 1,433.00 for November.

Funeral association warns of rise in theft of bodies

The National Funeral Practitioners Association has called for an intervention following a rise in theft of bodies.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Monday evening, Muzi Hlengwa of the association said there is a fraud syndicate that steals bodies, gives them a new identity, register a death certificate for insurance claims.

According to Hlengwa, some even go as far as conducting funerals to legitimise their claims.

Bullet-riddled bodies of seven people found in Germiston

Police have found bullet-riddled bodies of seven people in the Makause informal settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni.

According to Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele, the incident is suspected to have happened in the early hours of Monday morning.

While the motive of the shooting is currently unknown, Makhubele told Newzroom Afrika some community members may know what happened but are too afraid to speak out.

“We don’t have any idea as to what actually transpired. We got a call from community members who reported that there was a shooting around the area. Seven bodies were found,” said the police spokesperson.

Mogoeng Mogoeng says he cured couple of HIV/Aids with prayer

Former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng claims he has cured a couple of HIV/Aids. 

Mogoeng said this during a religious address in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, on 22 November.

Mogoeng claims the man and woman were cured after he prayed for them.

“When I was a young Christian, my employee and his wife were struck with HIV/Aids and their child died. They became thin. I said let me pray for this. ‘In the name of Jesus the spirit of HIV/Aids leave’,” said Mogoeng. 

Mogoeng said the proof he had that the couple were no longer infected was he saw the couple a while later looking “fat”.

AfriForum to oppose mandatory Covid-19 vaccines, laments Ramaphosa’s about-turn

Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum says it will oppose vaccine mandates if the government decides to make the Covid-19 inoculations mandatory.

“They are unjustifiable violations of personal freedoms,” said AfriForum in a statement.

The organisation has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of breaking a promise he made to the nation in February.

Ramaphosa, at the time, said nobody would be forced to take the vaccine.

Cabinet decided to scrap e-tolls but Treasury has questions about funding

The Cabinet has decided to scrap the controversial e-tolls scheme on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula confirmed this on Friday but said National Treasury had stopped the implementation of the decision.

“When we went to Cabinet, a decision was taken. When it was supposed to be implemented to scrap the e-tolls, Treasury said ‘no wait’,” Mbalula said during a briefing on the state of transport entities in Johannesburg.

SAA cancels Mauritius flights following latest travel ban

South African Airways (SAA) has cancelled all of its flights to and from Mauritius following the imposition of a travel ban on South Africa by the Mauritian government.

Restrictions were also placed on at least five other Southern African countries after local scientists announced the discovery of the Omicron variant last week.

SAA interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo said despite efforts to help passengers – who were still allowed to travel to Mauritius by Sunday – the airline was forced to cancel the inbound flight.