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Top 10 stories of the day: Four SANDF soldiers killed | Zuma-Sambudla to appear | AKA’s 37th ‘heavenly’ birthday

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By Chulumanco Mahamba

News today includes an the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that four more South African soldiers have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Meanwhile, former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla will appear in court on Thursday concerning the July 2021 unrest.

Furthermore, on what would’ve been his 37th birthday, Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes’s mother, Lynn Forbes, reflected on the day the late rapper was born.

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Four more SANDF soldiers killed in the DRC

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that four more South African soldiers have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

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This brings to 13 the number of soldiers who have died fighting with M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, over the last five days.

The SANDF. Picture: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo

SANDF spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini told The Citizen, that three of the soldiers died in fighting at the airport in the provincial capital of Goma on Monday.

Dlamini said the fourth died from injuries sustained in a major clash with M23 on Thursday and Friday last week when nine SANDF soldiers died.

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CONTINUE READING: Four more SANDF soldiers killed in the DRC


Child pornography accused couple kicked out after arrest, bail unable to proceed

A couple charged with possessing and distributing child pornography were evicted from their rented home following their arrests.

Darren Wilken and his 25-year-old girlfriend, Tiona Moodley, appeared together for the first time at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng on Tuesday.

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Darren Wilken and Tiona Megan Moodley, appear at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg on 28 January 2025. Picture: Nigel Sibanda / The Citizen

The pair face charges for manufacturing and distributing child pornography, as well as money laundering.

CONTINUE READING: Child pornography accused couple kicked out after arrest, bail unable to proceed


Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to appear in court over July 2021 unrest, MK party announces

Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla will appear in court on Thursday concerning the July 2021 unrest.

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The party announced on Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Zuma-Sambudla will appear at the Durban Magistrate’s Court at 9am on charges connected with the July 2021 unrest.

MK party member Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. Picture: Michel Bega

The party called on members to attend and support her.

CONTINUE READING: Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to appear in court over July 2021 unrest, MK party announces


‘Government must take control’: Trump closes SA health funding tap

The Dean of Wits University’s Faculty of Health Sciences has emphasised that the South African government must assume control of the country’s health programmes, which may be affected by newly elected President Donald Trump’s executive order.

On Monday, Trump ordered a pause on foreign assistance from the United States as his administration promoted its “America First” agenda.

US President Donald Trump. Picture: X/@MimiMefoInfo

“We get tired of giving massive amounts of money to countries that hate us, don’t we?” Trump said in a speech during the House Republicans’ annual retreat in Florida on Monday.

CONTINUE READING: ‘Government must take control’: Trump closes SA health funding tap


Lynn Forbes: ‘I can never say ‘happy heavenly birthday’ on what would’ve been AKA’s 37th birthday

On what would’ve been his 37th birthday, Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes’s mother, Lynn Forbes, reflected on the day the late rapper was born.

“On this day, at 1:15 in the early morning, I heard your first cry; I felt your warmth as you were placed on my chest. Your natural birth, 37 years ago, left me exhausted yet invigorated,” wrote Lynn on her Instagram.

The mother of late rapper AKA, Lynn Forbes has reflected on the day he was born on what would’ve been his 37th birthday. Picture: lynnforbesza

AKA was fatally shot in February 2023 while in Durban.

CONTINUE READING: Lynn Forbes: ‘I can never say ‘happy heavenly birthday’ on what would’ve been AKA’s 37th birthday



Yesterday’s News recap

READ HERE: ‘I would do it again’ – Waluś | MK vs SABC over ‘GNU’ term | Gogo Maweni granted bail

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Published by
By Chulumanco Mahamba
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