Daily news update: Govt withdraws support for Miss SA, FW de Klerk’s private funeral, ANC staff to picket again

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Government withdraws support for Miss SA over stance on Israel

The South African government has withdrawn its support for the Miss South Africa pageant after the organisation insisted on taking part in the Miss Universe pageant to be held in Israel.

Newly-crowned Miss SA Lalela Mswane is set to participate in the 70th Miss Universe pageant in December.

There has, however, been mounting pressure for the Miss South Africa (Miss SA) organisation to boycott the pageant.

In a statement, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa said Miss SA’s decision lacked “appreciation of the potential negative impact of such a decision on the reputation and future of a young black woman”.

FW de Klerk’s funeral will be a private ceremony for family only

The funeral of the former president of apartheid South Africa, FW de Klerk, will be held privately, his foundation announced on Sunday.

In a statement, the FW de Klerk Foundation said the former statesman’s cremation and funeral will be held on Sunday, 21 November.

It said that the ceremony will be for family members only, adding that it will not be open to the media.

ANC staff set to picket again over late salaries

Disgruntled ANC staff members are reportedly expected to head back to the picket lines from Monday over delays in the payment of their salaries.

The ANC staffers are also demanding a meeting with the party’s top six leaders to discuss a “written and binding agreement which will see workers being paid what is due to them,” City Pressreported on Sunday.

The ANC has been struggling to pay staff salaries on time for months now due to cash flow problems it has blamed on the new Political Party Funding Act.

World Cup heartbreak for Bafana as soft penalty sends Ghana through

Bafana Bafana were knocked out of Fifa World Cup qualifying in the cruellest of ways yesterday, a controversial penalty decision handing Ghana a crucial 1-0 win in their final Group G qualifier at the Cape Coast Stadium.

The result left both teams tied on 13 points at the top of the group, but Ghana go through to the final round of qualifying, by virtue of the seven goals they scored in the group stages to Bafana’s six.

Hugo Broos’ young Bafana side will take heart from a brave campaign, in which they led for most of the way, only to be pipped at the post.

Rand Water’s 54-hour water shutdown starts on Monday in parts of Gauteng

Rand Water’s scheduled shutdown of water pipes supplying parts of Gauteng is set to begin from Monday until Wednesday.

The utility announced last week its planned shut down of its B11 and B19 pipelines from 15 to 17 November that is expected to last for 54 hours.

Rand Water said the water shutdown will not result in a total lack of water supply as water will be flowing into the system at reduced pressure and quantities. 

ANC NEC rejects EFF proposal to split control of Gauteng’s three major metros – report

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) has reportedly shot down the EFF’s coalition proposal of dividing control of Gauteng’s three major metros between the ANC, EFF and ActionSA.

The City Press reported on Sunday that the EFF’s proposal of a power-sharing deal that would see the ANC retain Ekurhuleni, while ActionSA takes over the City of Johannesburg and the EFF governing Tshwane – was rejected by the NEC during its special meeting held last weekend at Saint George’s Hotel in Irene, Centurion.

The City Press cited sources who said the ANC’s Gauteng bloc was against the EFF’s coalition proposal, which was presented by the governing party’s national negotiation team.