Daily news update: Blinken visits Ramaphosa, Malema slams Zondo & umpire Rudi Koertzen dies

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Daily news update: 10 August

Ramaphosa receives courtesy visit from Antony Blinken

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday morning received a courtesy visit in Pretoria from United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Blinken landed in South Africa on Sunday to kick off a three-nation visit of Africa aimed at countering Russian influence on the continent.

Since he arrivied in the country, Blinken on Sunday visited the Hector Pieterson Museum in Orlando West, Soweto in honour of the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

On Monday, the US Secretary of State held discussions with International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor on US-SA partnerships on climate change, health, infrastructure, trade and investment.

‘ActionSA no different from ANC’ – eThekwini regional chairperson

ActionSA’s interim eThekwini regional chairperson Busisiwe Ntshingila has quit the party claiming it is no different from the African National Congress (ANC).

In her resignation letter, Ntshingila says there are currently a lot of self-obsessed politicians in South Africa who simply participate to gain power, money and fame with very little regard for the ordinary South African.

“ActionSA is a far cry from what this country needs. At face value, they seem like they have potential but it seems that, just like ANC, there are handlers and agendas that are well hidden and ultimately, they will serve self-interest and not the needs of the people that actually voted for them,”

“With each passing day, I realise that ActionSA is no different to the ruling party. Protecting self-interest and cadre deployment are worded differently but ultimately implemented identically,” Ntshingila said.

Malema slams Zondo appointment, ‘The Chief Justice with no brain’

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has slammed the appointment of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to the top post at the Constitutional Court.

Malema was speaking at the red berets Women’s Day celebration in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.

He said Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya should have instead been appointed to the top job.

“The Chief Justice with no brain, the whole brain that is full of fat on top of that brain, that’s why he can’t think properly.”

SIU freezes Transnet exec’s luxury properties and pension benefits

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and Transnet have obtained a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to freeze luxury properties and pension benefits linked to Transnet executives and their spouses.

The assets are valued at approximately R1.8 million, pending the final determination of civil proceedings for recovery of damages or losses and disgorgement of secret profits.

The Special Tribunal order dated 8 August 2022, prohibits Zakhele Lebelo, his wife Alletta Mokgoro Mabitsi, and Phathutshedzo Brighton Mashamba and his wife Matlhodi Phillicia Mashamba from selling, leasing, donating or transferring the titles of their luxury properties in Rosebank and Deinfern.

The SIU investigation revealed the properties were allegedly funded by money received from service providers contracted by Transnet

Mokonyane’s Krugersdorp rape opportunism proves ANC’s cluelessness regarding illegal mining

Government has no plan to manage collapsing mining towns or the communities suffering because of the failures to hold mining houses to account.

This was the opinion of chief researcher at the Benchmark Foundation David van Wyk, after National Executive Committee (NEC) member of the African National Congress (ANC), Nomvula Mokonyane called on all South Africans to support Expropriation Without Compensation (EWC), in response to the gruesome rape of eight women by illegal miners in Krugersdorp.

The last few days saw residents in different parts of Mogale City, including Krugersdorp taking matters into their own hands, looking for illegal miners, in the aftermath of the rape incident.

A number of arrests have since been made and it remains to be seen if the arrested suspects are indeed the real culprits behind the horrible crime which took place near Krugersdorp.

Tributes pour in for SA’s world renowned umpire Rudi Koertzen

Tributes are pouring in for former South African cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, labelled the ‘slow finger of death’ by the media, who died in a car accident at the age of 73.

A family member told AFP on Tuesday, Rudi Koertzen suffered fatal injuries after an accident near Stilbaai between Cape Town and Gqeberha.

His son Rudi told a Gqeberha radio station his father attended a gold tournament with some friends and were expected to come back on Monday, but they decided to play another round of golf.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) said it is shocked and sad by the passing of Koertzen.

Bok team named to play All Blacks at Ellis Park: Vermeulen back, Kriel to wing it

Seasoned No 8 Duane Vermeulen is back in the Springbok team to face the All Blacks in round two of the Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Vermeulen returns after a lengthy spell on the sidelines and takes over at eighthman from Jasper Wiese, who moves to the bench.

Ox Nche has also come into the side, at loosehead prop in place of Trevor Nyakane who misses out this week, while Jesse Kriel takes over on the right wing where he replaces the suspended Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Bongi Mbonambi is also back in the starting team, with Malcolm Marx shifting to the bench, while Jaden Hendrikse will wear the No 9 jersey that Faf de Klerk wore last Saturday.

De Klerk misses out because of the head knock he took in the Mbombela Test. Herschel Jantjies will provide cover on the bench.