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Daily news update: KZN floods wreak havoc, Mkhwebane fights for pension and Nzimande announces R3.8bn loan scheme
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStockThe CitizenCheryl Kahla
In today’s news, the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal claim additional lives, while disaster teams continue to respond to incidents across districts.
Meanwhile, former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane seeks legal action to get benefits after she was removed from office.
In other news, Minister Blade Nzimande allocates funds for ‘missing middle’ students not covered by Nsfas. Ex-ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule asserts confidence in new party’s election victory. In the North West, individuals running an initiation school were arrested after two boys’ deaths.
And finally, Bafana Bafana’s injury concerns ease ahead of Africa Cup of Nations clash with Mali.
News today: 15 January 2024
Floods wreak havoc in KwaZulu-Natal as death toll climbs to 43
The KwaZulu-Natal department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs confirmed that three more people have died from the recent floods, taking the death toll to 43.
According to the department, KZN disaster management teams on Saturday responded to several fatal disaster incidents in different parts of the province after heavy rains battered various areas on Friday evening.
The Harry Gwala, Umgungundlovu and Umzinyathi districts were most affected by the floods, with teams providing disaster relief and working with search and rescue teams.
Mkhwebane to go to court to get pension and R10m payment – report
Former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is ready to go to court to get her pension and other benefits paid to her.
According to a City Press report, she has instructed her lawyers to begin court proceedings against the Office of the Public Protector and Parliament.
Mkhwebane became the first public protector to be removed from office after MPs voted in favour of the Parliament’s Section 194 Committee report in September. President Cyril Ramaphosa then fired her in October based on National Assembly’s recommendation.
Nzimande announces R3.8bn loan scheme for ‘missing middle’ students in 2024
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande has announced that the government has set aside R3.8 billion to fund the country’s ‘missing middle’ students who were not covered by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas).
The missing middle students come from households with a total income of more than R350,000 and less than R600,000 per annum.
The Nsfas bursary funds students from households with a total family income of up to R350,000.
Ace Magashule on election rigging: ‘Our eyes are going to be open, because we know’
Former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule almost pulled a Fikile Mbalula on his former political home during his new party’s walkabout on Pietermaritzburg Church Street this weekend.
A confident Magashule said his party would emerge victorious at the upcoming elections and no election rigging would stand in his way.
“We’re going to win the elections, we’re very confident. There’s no going to be any rigging of elections. Our eyes are going to be open, because we know. I’ve been part of the ANC, we know what’s going to happen. All these black parties, we have met and agreed that we’re not going to allow any elections to be rigged,” Magashule told Newsroom Afrika.
Initiation school leaders arrested after skeletal remains of two boys found
Two people have been detained after two boys died at an initiation school they were running.
The two were arrested in Ntsweletsoku village, North West, on Friday.
The comes after the disappearance of the two boys. They were reported missing at the Motswedi and Lehurutshe police stations in December.
Floods in KZN severely damage 59 schools across 9 districts
Recent storms and floods in KwaZulu-Natal have caused severe damage to school infrastructure, with 59 schools in 9 of the 12 districts affected, said MEC Mbali Frazer on Sunday.
This comes as the province battles severe weather in several parts, resulting in the loss of 43 lives, with some still missing.
The storm that swept through KZN last night also caused extensive damage to Eskom’s networks, leaving several areas in the dark.
The most affected areas include Pietermaritzburg, Margate, Kokstad, Newcastle, Ladysmith, Stanger, Zululand and Empangeni.
Bafana declare clean bill of health ahead of AFCON start
Bafana Bafana’s injury concerns look to have lifted ahead of their opening Africa Cup of Nations finals Group E clash with Mali on Tuesday.
Mothobi Mvala, Ronwen Williams and Themba Zwane all returned to training this weekend at the Lycee Modern de Korhogo, Bafana’s training venue for the duration of the group stages.
Bafana will play all their Group E matches at the 20 000-seater Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, in the Northern city of Korhogo, hoping to amass enough points against Mali, Namibia and Tunisia to make it to the last 16.
