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Daily News update: SANDF soldiers die in DRC, Sylvia Lucas apologises and Anoj Singh seeks bail condition relaxation
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Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes as days after South Africans questioned the safety of soldiers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers lost their lives on Wednesday in the region and ANC MP Sylvia Lucas has apologised to South Africa for a comment she made about load shedding not being a huge concern.
Meanwhile, in his reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed challenges such as the electricity crisis and corruption and former chief financial officer of Eskom Anoj Singh has filed an application in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in a bid to relax his bail conditions.
News Today: 16 February 2024
As heatwave conditions continue in Gauteng and Mpumalanga until Saturday, the latest weather forecast includes warnings for a range of severe and dangerous conditions across the country on Friday. – full weather forecast here.
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Two SANDF soldiers die after mortar bomb hits military base in DRC
Days after South Africans questioned the safety of soldiers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers lost their lives on Wednesday in the region while three more sustained severe injuries after a mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African Contingent’s military bases.
A mortar bomb is an explosive shell that is fired from an artillery weapon that looks like a canon.
“SANDF confirms that on 14 February at about 1.30 pm, a mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African Contingent military bases inflicting casualties and injuries to the SANDF soldiers,” the defence force said.
CONTINUE: Two SANDF soldiers die after mortar bomb hits military base in DRC
‘Electricity a luxury during apartheid’ – ANC MP Sylvia Lucas apologises for load shedding remarks
“We are coming from a past where it was a luxury to have electricity,” she said.
ANC MP Sylvia Lucas has apologised to South Africa for a comment she made about load shedding not being a huge concern.
The ANC MP and deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) downplayed the impact of load shedding during the state of the nation address (Sona) debate earlier this week. “Load shedding is not the end of the world,” she said.
CONTINUE: ‘Electricity a luxury during apartheid’ – ANC MP Sylvia Lucas apologises for load shedding remarks
‘Holomisa knows he is telling a lie’ – Sadtu responds to UDM leader on election rigging
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has called UDM leader Bantu Holomisa’s tweet about the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) using the union to run the country’s elections, ‘a lie’.
The union was on Thursday responding to what it called “the unscrupulous campaign by some political parties to use the union to tarnish the integrity” of the IEC.
On Wednesday, Holomisa tweeted a photo of two vehicles with the branding ‘Sadtu votes ANC’, accompanying the text “The IEC is using this Union to run this country’s elections, an affiliate of Cosatu, which is in Alliance with the ANC. This time in our meeting of the opposition parties on 26/02/24, we must take a resolution on this rigging of SA elections”.
CONTINUE: ‘Holomisa knows he is telling a lie’ – Sadtu responds to UDM leader on election rigging
Anoj Singh seeks bail condition relaxation for Dubai job
Former chief financial officer of Eskom Anoj Singh has filed an application in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in a bid to relax his bail conditions.
Singh reportedly told the court he would like to take up a job as a chief executive officer in Dubai, as he has not been employed since 2018.
He resigned from his Eskom position in 2018 while on suspension.
CONTINUE: Anoj Singh seeks bail condition relaxation for Dubai job
‘We’ve made clear and measurable progress’ –Ramaphosa on electricity crisis
In his reply to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) debate, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed challenges such as the electricity crisis and corruption.
Despite progress, he acknowledged the need for further action to stabilise South Africa’s electricity supply and combat corruption.
The president said the debate on Tuesday and Wednesday highlighted the “sharp difference” among political parties about South Africa’s past, present, and future and that the difference was sharpened by the upcoming elections.
CONTINUE: ‘We’ve made clear and measurable progress’ –Ramaphosa on electricity crisis
In other news today:
- Groblersdal 4: Devon Hofmeyr in court to make bail bid [Watch]
- Lenasia businessman nabbed for illegally connecting mini-substation
- DA and other parties reach out to international community to ensure quality elections in SA
- ‘The recognizable face of corruption’: Mzansi reacts at Terry Pheto lotto fraud allegations
- Public schools are allowed to teach foreign languages, says department of education
