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Daily News update: Meyiwa confessions ruling | ANC candidates list | Percy Tau was ‘mentally broken’
Here's your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria will deliver its ruling on the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial-within-a-trial after hearing closing arguments from the state and defence on Monday.
Meanwhile, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has said former president Thabo Mbeki is a man of dignity and has not endorsed tainted party members to be on the ANC’s candidates list for public office.
Furthermore, Hugo Broos has said he left Percy Tau out of the Bafana Bafana squad for friendlies against Andorra and Algeria later this month, to protect the Al Ahly attacker from more criticism.
News Today: 12 March 2024
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Judge to make ruling on confessions in Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Thursday
The murder case against five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa is set to resume on Thursday.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria will deliver its ruling on the trial-within-a-trial after hearing closing arguments from the state and defence on Monday.
Since October 2023, the court has heard evidence in a trial-within-a-trial to determine the admissibility of confession statements that Bongani Ntanzi and his co-accused, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya had allegedly made into the main trial.
The state has claimed Ntanzi made a confession about his alleged involvement in Meyiwa’s murder at the station before Colonel Moholo Solomon Raphadu at the Moroka Police Station in Soweto on 19 June 2020.
CONTINUE READING: Judge to make ruling on confessions in Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Thursday
IEC tracks ‘revolting’ candidates leak to staff work station, takes ‘corrective action’
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said Monday it has tracked the source of the leak that saw African National Congress (ANC) and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party candidate lists shared widely on social media to a work station at its offices.
The commission’s CEO, Sy Mamabolo, said in a media briefing that these were the only two parties affected, and the official whose credentials were found to be used in the leak—though information was later deleted at the work station—has been asked to provide reasons why action should not be taken against them.
However, the investigation has not yet been concluded and more officials may be responsible for the leak, he said. A forensic analysis of the work station is also underway.
CONTINUE READING: WATCH: IEC tracks ‘revolting’ candidates leak to staff work station, takes ‘corrective action’
ANC candidates list: Mbeki did not endorse wrongdoing, says Mbalula
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has said former president Thabo Mbeki is a man of dignity and has not endorsed tainted party members to be on the ANC’s candidates list for public office.
Mbalula was speaking at a press conference on Monday morning in Johannesburg.
The ANC was under fire over the inclusion of some ANC leaders who appeared on the list despite facing corruption allegations or being implicated in the State Capture Commission Report.
CONTINUE READING: ANC candidates list: Mbeki did not endorse wrongdoing, says Mbalula
Joslin Smith: Husband of alleged sangoma claims cops ‘tortured’ her in front of kids
Many shock twists and turns have surfaced in the gripping case of the disappearance of Joslin Smith since the six-year-old girl went missing three weeks ago from her Saldanha home in Middelpos informal settlement.
These include the arrest and appearance of alleged sangoma Phumza Sigaqa alongside Joslin’s mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 7 March.
The four accused were charged with human trafficking and kidnapping. This after Appollis and Van Rhyn allegedly confessed during a 36-hour-long interrogation session that they sold Joslin for R20 000 for muti.
CONTINUE READING: Joslin Smith: Husband of alleged sangoma claims cops ‘tortured’ her in front of kids
Percy Tau was ‘mentally broken’ – Broos
Hugo Broos has said he left Percy Tau out of the Bafana Bafana squad for friendlies against Andorra and Algeria later this month, to protect the Al Ahly attacker from more criticism.
The Bafana head coach felt that Tau was affected by all of the criticism he received at the Africa Cup of Nations. Tau missed a penalty in the opening match against Mali and while he scored a spot kick against Namibia in Bafana’s next match, several other missed chances in the tournament saw the ‘Lion of Judah’ bear the brunt of plenty of social media attacks.
In a dramatic new development in the tragic case of the six-year-old, her mother, Racquel “Kelly” Smith and her boyfriend Jacquin “Boeta” Appollis have been charged with human trafficking and kidnapping.
CONTINUE READING: Percy Tau was ‘mentally broken’ – Broos
In other news today:
- Muti murders in SA: Has Joslin Smith fallen prey to ‘occult economy’?
- Grade 10 KZN pupil pranks police and friends with bomb threat, suggests real life call-of-duty
- Aflatoxin alert: Clover GoNuts peanut butter latest recall – What to know and do
- South Africans now earn the same as in 2006 – GDP
- Information Regulator probes leak of ANC and MK party candidate lists
Yesterday’s News recap
READ HERE: IEC investigates leak, IFP manifesto launched, ANCYL President takes swipe at Jacob Zuma
