Daily news update: Covid-19 stats, Myeni’s delinquency case and Proteas lose series

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1,376 new cases, 183 more deaths confirmed in SA

As of Monday, 09 February 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,477,511 with 1,376 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

183 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported. This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 46,473.

Recoveries now stand at 1,363,947 representing a recovery rate of 92%. 

Court reserves judgement in Myeni’s delinquency case

Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni. Picture: Jacques Nelles

The High Court in Pretoria has reserved its judgement on former South African Airways (SAA) chair Dudu Myeni’s bid to have the delinquency order against her removed.

On Monday, the judgment was reserved, however, the court is expected to deliver its judgement within seven days as the case is considered urgent, according to the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s (Outa) Head of Legal Affairs, Stephanie Fick.

Gigaba violated ethics code in Gupta naturalisation case, says public protector

Minister of home affairs Malusi Gigaba. Picture: ANA

The public protector has found that former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba did not abuse the powers he was afforded in terms of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act, 2010, when granting certificates of early naturalisation to his alleged acquaintances, Ajay Gupta and family.

This has been corrected by the Office of the Public Protector, which, in its earlier report released by acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, erroneously said the former minister had abused his powers.

Malema tells DA to ‘voetsek’, makes peace with Mboweni over ‘tea party’

EFF Leader Julius Malema. Picture: Jacques Nelles

Following his tea meeting with former president Jacob Zuma on Friday, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has told the Democratic Alliance (DA) to “voetsek”.

This after the party announced it had written to Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, asking her to investigate who paid for an “extravagant trip” by Malema and others.

The net is closing in on corrupt officials, says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Jairus Mmutle/GCIS.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the net is closing in on those who were involved in corrupt activities during the pandemic.

This after a report released by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) last week revealed corruption in personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement contracts.

Is Oscar Pistorius’s time in prison coming to an end?

Oscar Pistorius was originally convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, but his conviction was upgraded to murder on appeal.

Days before the eighth anniversary of the death of model Reeva Steenkamp, rumours have surfaced that her killer and ex-boyfriend Oscar Pistorius’s days are numbered behind bars.

Reports have been making the rounds that the convicted former Paralympic athlete has two years left to serve before he is eligible for parole.

Calls for alternatives as Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine rollout paused

South Africa received its first batch of one million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from India last Monday. Picture: GCIS

Political and labour organisations have called on government to turn to alternative Covid-19 vaccines, including those being developed in socialist countries such as Cuba and Russia.

This comes after Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize announced the discontinuation of the rollout of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, in response to “disappointing” clinical trial results.

MK vets head to Nkandla to pledge support for Zuma

Former president Jacob Zuma before his application to have State Capture Commission chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, recuse himself on 17 November 2020. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

The Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) leadership will pay a visit to former president Jacob Zuma on Thursday, in a show of support.

This comes after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and his entourage set tongues wagging last week after meeting with the former president for “tea”.

Ramaphosa presided over worst ANC cadre deployment period in SA – Steenhuisen

DA leader John Steenhuisen. Picture: Veli Nhlapo

President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot hide behind a public good-guy persona while continuing to cripple the state behind closed doors, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said during the party’s “True State of the Nation Address” on Monday.

Steenhuisen said that cadre deployment was the true reflection of state capture by the ANC.

Committee on transport failed to investigate Gupta allegations, Zondo hears

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency

The ANC was correct when, in 2016, it instructed its MPs to vote against an investigation into the Guptas’ role in state capture, ANC MP Dikeledi Magadzi said.

She added that she would still toe the party line, even knowing what she knows now.

Heavy rains leave R400 million bill in Mpumalanga, says premier Mtsweni-Tsipane

Roadworks through the night on a collapsed section of road in the small town of Motseketla near Tzaneen in Limpopo, 25 January 2021. Due to the heavy rainfall in the area after cyclone Eloise hit parts of Mozambique on the weekend, the effects caused damage to the road. Picture: Jacques Nelles

Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane on Monday said that the damage caused by heavy rains in the province was estimated at R425 million so far.

This follows her visit to Kanyamazane in the Mbombela district, which has been deemed the most affected area in Mpumalanga. Other affected areas include the Thaba Chweu, Bushbuckridge and Mkhondo municipalities.

Former Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli’s corruption trial postponed

Former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli, right, appeared in the South Gauteng High Court for his 1999 kidnapping of Oupa Ramogibe, and was found guilty, 30 July 2019. Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

The fraud and corruption trial involving former Crime Intelligence (CI) head, Richard Mdluli and former CI operatives Heine Barnard and Solomon Lazarus has been postponed to the 19 February for pre-trial conference.

The trio face charges related to allegations of gross abuse of the police intelligence slush fund, including private luxury trips to China and Singapore, private use of witness protection houses and the leasing out of Mdluli’s private residence to the state in order to pay his bond.

Under-administration Emfuleni municipality still ‘experiencing challenges’, says Maile

Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile. Picture: Sinesipho Schrieber

The Emfuleni Local Municipality remains dysfunctional despite it being put under administration, Gauteng cooperative governance MEC Lebogang Maile said on Monday.

The municipality remains in debt of R4.6 billion, meaning that the administration team led by Arbeto Martins failed to “produce the desired outcomes and the municipality continues to experience challenges”, said Maile.

Tshwane has one of highest cases of Covid-19 Ters corruption

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has been beset with a plethora of fraud allegations and complaints from clients and companies since the inception of the Covid-19 Ters relief scheme. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark

Pretoria is one of the areas with the highest cases of fraud and wrongdoing regarding Covid-19 temporary employer/employee relief scheme (Ters) corruption, according to Corruption Watch.

The report found that many employers received funding, but failed to pay employees. In some cases, companies claiming on behalf of the employees gave them only a fraction of the money due to them.

Motjeka Madisha’s father arrested after soccer player’s funeral

Motjeka Madisha. Pic: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Shortly after Motjeka Madisha’s family laid him to rest in Ga-Madisha village in Zebediela over the weekend, the Madisha family was allegedly intimidated by police members who claimed that the funeral had violated the Covid-19 protocols.

Videos of the incident have been circulating on social media, shows armed police entering the family’s home with rifles and threatening to arrest Madisha’s father shortly after they came back from the grave site.

Little satisfaction for centurion Markram after Proteas lose series

Opening batsman Aiden Markram has been in prolific form for the Titans in domestic cricket and is hoping to win back a permanent place in the Proteas Test team, starting with the series against Sri Lanka. Picture: Getty Images

Aiden Markram had a brilliant maiden century on the subcontinent to point at, but it was clear the Proteas opening batsman was deriving little pleasure from it after South Africa collapsed against Pakistan’s new-ball attack to lose the second Test by 95 runs in Rawalpindi on Monday.

While seated at the virtual press conference after the close of play, Markram said: “I wish I was still out there now getting the job done.”

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