Daily news update: Zuma vs Zondo, back to school and another blow for Dudu Myeni

Here’s your morning news update: Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.

Daily Covid-19 update: SA records 1,102 new cases, 195 more deaths

A nurse adjusts an oxygen bottle at Lenasia South Hospital in Johannesburg during a visit by MEC Bandile Masuku and Minister Zweli Mkize’s visit to the facility, 20 July 2020. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

As of Monday, 15 February 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,492,909 with 1,102 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

195 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported. This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 48,094.

Recoveries now stand at 1,391,155 representing a recovery rate of 93%. 

Zondo spreading ‘political propaganda’ against me defiant Zuma says

Former president Jacob Zuma at the State Capture Commission in Braamfontein on 19 November 2020. Picture: Neil McCartney

It has been a day of political and judicial high drama as former president Jacob Zuma point blankly refused to appear before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at the Commission of Inquiry Into Allegations of State Capture.

After Zondo said that the commission would ask for Zuma’s arrest for defying a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to appear at the inquiry, Zuma came out guns blazing in a statement on Monday evening.

Zuma slammed Zondo for spreading “political propaganda” against him as he awaits the ConCourt decision on if he is guilty of contempt of court or not.

Dudu Myeni is officially a delinquent director

Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni. Picture: Jacques Nelles

Former South African Airways (SAA) chair Dudu Myeni has lost her bid to appeal the finding that declared her a delinquent director, meaning she must immediately step down from any directorships she holds.

Her application for leave to appeal against the delinquency order itself – which was handed down in May 2020 – had been dismissed in December. On Monday, the Pretoria High Court again dismissed Myeni’s attempt to appeal enforcement of the delinquency order against her.

Zondo commission to ask ConCourt to jail Zuma for contempt

DCJ Raymond Zondo at the State Capture Commission in Braamfontein, 4 November 2020. Picture: Neil McCartney

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on Monday said the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture would make an application to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) seeking an order declaring that former president Jacob Zuma is guilty of contempt of court.

“The commission will approach the Constitutional Court and ask it to impose a term of imprisonment on Mr Zuma if it finds that he is guilty of contempt of court. It will be up to the court what it considers appropriate,” Zondo said.

MKMVA warns against any ‘foolhardy attempt’ to arrest Zuma

The MKMVA NEC delegation met with former president Jacob Zuma on Thursday on 11 February 2021 in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: @niehaus_carl/Twitter

The Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) has defended its decision to gather outside former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, to protect the former president from being arrested for defying a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) order to appear before Commission of Inquiry Into Allegations of State Capture.

MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus told The Citizen on Monday that the MK vets elected to join ANC branches in KwaZulu-Natal outside Zuma’s residence in order to express their support for him.

WATCH: Back to school for learners

Pupils from Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation arrive for their first day of school for the year, 15 February 2021, in Zola, Soweto. The academic year has been delayed by the rise in infections of the coronavirus. Picture: Michel Bega

Monday marked the opening of public schools as the governments’  back-to-school schedule officially kicked off following the reopening of some independent schools early this month.

After a long two-month holiday, pupils finally headed back to the classroom and officials from the Department of Basic Education visited different schools across the country to monitor their readiness.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the learners would be going to school in shifts and rotationally.

Maimane, DA unhappy with Motshekga ‘doubling down’ on rape comment

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga at a congratulatory breakfast with class of 2018 Top Achievers, Vodacom World, Midrand, 3 January 2019. Picture: Jacques Naude/ African News Agency (ANA)

OneSA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane has laughed off as a “joke” the statement released by Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga following her remarks that “educated men won’t rape”, meanwhile the Democratic alliance has asked Motshekga to publicly retract and apologise for the comment.

Motshekga released a statement in response to outrage over her remarks made on Monday morning at the  Prospectus High School in Tshwane.

She claims she was taken out of context as she was “only talking about education on gender-based violence”.

Mandela funeral fraud: Calls for Eastern Cape Health MEC’s sacking intensify

Some of the hundreds of people carry candles during a memorial for the late Nelson Mandela in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, 04 December 2014. Nelson Mandela died on 05 December 2013 and was buried at the end of a ten day funeral event. 05 December 2014 marks the national events marking his passing. EPA/KIM LUDBROOK

Bobby Stevenson, the leader of the DA in the Eastern Cape, has added his voice to mounting calls for the province’s Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba to be sacked.

Gomba appeared in court on Friday, one of several ANC heavyweights in the Buffalo City Metro region, facing a string of serious charges including fraud, corruption, money laundering, and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.

The 15 suspects are accused of misleading the municipality into believing that it had an obligation to make funds available for the funeral and memorial service of former President Nelson Mandela in December 2013.

EFF calls Mchunu’s removal after sexual harassment allegations surface

Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu. Picture: Twitter

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for the removal of the Minister of Public Service and Administration, Senzo Mchunu after reports of sexual harassment allegations emerged earlier on Monday.

According to Daily News, Mchunu allegedly made sexual advances on an employee who worked at the African National Congress’ (ANC) headquarters in Johannesburg in 2018.

It is further alleged that the employee was fired by Mchunu in 2019.

Nehawu gives department 5 days to address TVET readiness

A woman is seen outside the locked front gate of the Tshwane North College Pretoria Campus in the Pretoria CBD, 19 January 2017, the college was closed due to the shutdown of all TVET colleges in Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Monday said they were giving the Department of Higher Education and Training five days to address the low levels of readiness of tertiary institutions prior to their opening.

In a statement, Nehawu said that they were worried about the state of readiness of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and community education and training (CET) for the reopening.

Amnesty period, Covid-19 delays firearm licence application process

Image for illustration. Picture: iStock

Waiting for a firearm licence application? You’ll now have to wait up to 120 working days because the pandemic and firearm amnesty period have caused severe delays in the application process.

The delay will now see applications completed in 120 working days, instead of the usual 90 days.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) Central Firearm Registry has been affected by staff shortages due to the pandemic, police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said.

Bongo organised meeting with Eskom inquiry evidence leader, court hears

Bongani Bongo answering questions before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) in the New Assembly in Parliament on December 07, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Daily Sun / Lindile Mbontsi)

ANC MP and former state security minister Bongani Bongo organised a meeting between him and the evidence leader of Parliament’s 2017 Eskom inquiry advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara on behalf of then-acting Eskom chair Zethembe Khoza, the Western Cape High Court heard on Monday.

Vanara took the witness stand in Bongo’s trial. Bongo is charged with corruption after he allegedly tried to bribe Vanara.

Vanara testified that on 4 October 2017 – a Wednesday – Bongo allegedly phoned him three times while he was making his way to Johannesburg for a meeting with Khoza.

DJ Fresh and Euphonik say rape case has been dismissed

DJ Fresh speaks to The Citizen, 24 July 2019, at the offices of Primedia ahead of his new show on 94.7. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark

DJs Fresh and Euphonik have said the rape allegations levelled against them has been dismissed.

Last month, a woman took to Twitter to accuse Fresh and Euphonik of allegedly drugging and raping her in 2011. The two DJs released a statement on Monday saying that the allegations were dismissed by prosecutors as they were without “merit”.

Gigaba will not speak out against his estranged wife Norma Mngoma

Norma Mngoma, Malusi Gigaba’s ex-wife. Picture: Jacques Nelles

Former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba will not be talking against his estranged wife Norma Mngoma.

Gigaba was responding to the Pretoria High Court’s ruling on Thursday that found Mngoma’s arrest in July 2020 was unlawful and an abuse of power by the Hawks in an attempt to intimidate her.

Mngoma was arrested after allegedly causing extensive damage to a multimillion-rand Mercedes-Benz driven by her estranged husband.

There’s no risk of radiation, says nuclear regulator on Koeberg damage

Picture: iStock

The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has issued a statement saying that the structural integrity of containment structures at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station currently comply with relevant safety tests required by the regulator.

The statement comes after numerous news outlets reported last week that the nuclear reactor building at Koeberg was deteriorating quickly – implying that a radioactive catastrophe might be a possibility should there be an accident at the Cape Town-based plant.

Sneaky law amendment grants Sars ‘interest-free’ holiday

Picture: Moneyweb

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) is mandated to pay a taxpayer interest if they have overpaid their taxes, and likewise, the taxpayer is mandated to pay Sars interest if Sars has made an overpayment to the taxpayer.

The rationale for the payment of interest is to compensate a party for the economic loss of not having had use of those funds. The interest should run from the date that the party is short of the funds, to the date that the shortfall is paid.

New venue for Chiefs Caf Champions League clash revealed

Happy Mashiane has been at the forefront of Amakhosi’s revival. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.

Wydad Casablanca have announced they will now play Kaizer Chiefs in their Caf Champions League Group C opener in Cairo, Egypt, after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) ruled that the game would now take place in Cairo, Egypt.

Ireland to host Proteas for limited-overs tour in July

Pakistani batsman Babar Azam was in good form for his team on the first day of play in the second Test against the Proteas in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Monday that the Proteas will embark on a historic first full limited-overs tour of Ireland in July. 

The matches are scheduled to be played from 11-25 July and will comprise of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) that will form part of the ICC’s Cricket World Cup Super League (CWCSL) programme, and three T20Is, with the games played in Malahide and Stormont. 

It is the first time the Proteas will tour Ireland for more than one game, with their only other visit being in June 2007 when they played an ODI in Belfast.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.