Daily news update: Christmas babies galore, murder in Mt Ayliff, Bonang and Natasha give back

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SANDF joins police in search for Mt Ayliff killers

Mount Ayliff scene. Picture: Twitter

Following the killing of seven men in Mount Ayllif on Christmas morning, the South African National Defence Force has joined forces with the South African Police Service to pursue suspects who are possibly hiding in a vast, unforgiving and undulated area around Mount Ayllif.

“The SANDF is assisting with equipment, including helicopters and providing reinforcements as a force-multiplier to our already deployed reinforcements,” the SAPS said in a statement.

Elderly man succumbs to injuries after farm attack in Hammanskraal

Picture for illustration. Picture: iStock

The elderly man succumbed to his injuries in hospital after being attacked on a farm in Hammanskraal, Gauteng, on Monday.

According to Casper Liversage of the Hammanskraal Community Policing Forum (CPF), the elderly man and his wife were discovered by community members two days later after they were overpowered in their home by four suspects around 1pm.

KZN welcomes 100 Christmas babies, but MEC concerned about teenage pregnancies

KwaZulu Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu. Picture: Berea Mail

The KwaZulu-Natal health department has expressed its concern over teenage mothers, as Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu welcomed Christmas babies.

In a virtual event held on Friday, Simelane-Zulu said that of the babies born on Christmas day, four were from mothers under 18.

Bonang Matheba and Natasha Thahane give back this festive season

This time of year can be difficult for some people and public figures are using their influence for the greater good.

Media personality Bonang Matheba shared on Thursday that she wants to help 100 families with grocery vouchers this festive season.

Quinton de Kock to bat at number 5 for Proteas – Boucher

Quinton de Kock of South Africa bats during the Second T20 International match between England and South Africa at Kingsmead Stadium on February 14, 2020 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Proteas head coach Mark Boucher revealed that Quinton de Kock will bat at number five ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. De Kock, who is South Africa’s leading Test batsman, will not only don the gloves but will also lead the Test side this season. Boucher also stated that the Proteas will be managing the star batsman’s workload ahead of a busy 2021 season.

Proteas coach Mark Boucher confirmed that wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock will bat at number five ahead of Saturday’s first Test against Sri Lanka at Centurion.

Health department suspends screening at Beitbridge

A long convoy of vehicles, stretching several kilometres towards Beitbridge border post in Musina, Limpopo, and scores of people have been queueing for days to leave the country ahead of Christmas Day. The border connects South Africa with Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, DRC and Northern Mozambique. Pictures: Camilo Ramada

The health department has suspended Covid-19 screening for truck drivers at the Beitbridge border to allow a flow of traffic. Trucks and other vehicles had been stuck in queues reaching 20km and truck drivers were taking up to nine days to cross the border, with no facilities and amenities to accommodate people.

“Initially they were raising issues that there was a long time being taken in terms of the Covid screening and testing. One thing that was confusing for us was that the main backlog was on the outgoing trucks and we don’t require a test when going out of the country, so we were only doing the temperature screening and filling in the forms.

Hunt hopes for a Nurkovic New Year return at Chiefs

Samir Nurkovic. Pic: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

Gavin Hunt has admitted that Kaizer Chiefs “need” Samir Nurkovic back on the field sooner rather than later and is hopeful they will have him available for the 2nd leg of their Caf Champions League clash with Primeiro de Agosto in Angola on January 6.

Amakhosi were only able to play out a goalless draw in the first leg at FNB Stadium on Wednesday, missing a number of chances, which has been the story of their season under new head coach Gavin Hunt. Chiefs have scored just ten times in 12 matches in all competitions.

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