Daily news update: Mkhwebane, Hlophe make chief justice shortlist and Mboweni slams looting ‘rats’

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Mkhwebane, Hlophe and Zondo on shortlist to replace Mogoeng as chief justice

The Presidency has released a list of eight candidates vying for the position of chief justice, as the incumbent Mogoeng Mogoeng’s term draws to an end.

The final list of candidates was released on Monday, following a process that began on 16 September 2021 after President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South Africans to nominate suitably qualified candidates for “the critical position as head of the Judiciary of South Africa”.

Calls for Maile’s axing after DA’s ConCourt win over Tshwane administration

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for Gauteng cooperative governance MEC Lebogang Maile to be fired after the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) on Monday ruled that the provincial government’s decision last year to place the City of Tshwane under administration was unlawful.

Tshwane executive mayor Randall Williams welcomed the ConCourt’s ruling, saying the DA would ensure Maile is personally held to account for all legal costs involving his appeal of the case, and for wasting taxpayers’ money.

“MEC Maile must also be fired for his role in this,” Williams said.

Mboweni slams looting ‘rats’ and ‘mice’ that made his job hard

“The virus taught us that greed among us, and among countries and people, is rife. The rich sought to accumulate and hoard the vaccines for themselves and starve off the poor and developing countries from gaining access to these. Within most countries, the greedy and corrupt saw an opportunity to enrich themselves through various schemes of looting. But there are good men and women in this world who are committed to making this a better world,” said Mboweni.

Another hard lockdown incoming? Experts predict Covid-19 spike

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to increase the number limit on gatherings has been slammed by experts. The regulation shift was seen as a political move that could usher in another hard lockdown.

Back in February 2021, the lockdown level 1 regulations allowed for a maximum of 250 people outdoors and 100 people indoors.

During the most recent level 1 adjustments, Ramaphosa increased the limit to 2,000 people outdoors, and 750 people at indoor gatherings.

While many were excited about alcohol restrictions easing as the country moved to level 1, the regulation amendments have since been slammed by critics.

Vooma Vaccination Weekend: Ramaphosa ‘proud’ of 353k new inoculations

President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the more than 353,000 people who responded to the first Vooma Vaccination Weekend.

Although government missed its target of vaccinating 500,000 people during the campaigns inaugural weekend, Ramaphosa said the number of vaccine doses administered was one and a half times more than the regular daily rate.

“We would have liked this number to be higher, but this was a very surge towards greater protection of our nation,” said Ramaphosa in a statement.

Pics of bullet-ridden KZN ambulance emerge after paramedics ambushed

The shooting of two KwaZulu-Natal paramedics in the Mabhanoyini area near Estcourt early on Monday morning has been condemned and labeled “outrageous, barbaric and cowardly” by the province’s health department. 

Two paramedics responding to a call of a shooting in the area were ambushed while preparing to rush a patient to hospital.

One of them, Phumzile Dlamini, was shot dead, while her crew-mate, who has not yet been named, was critically injured in the attack.