Daily news update: ANC vs Mkhwebane, ‘Ninja killer’, and Proteas win

Here is your daily news update. Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.

ANC shields Ramaphosa amid Mkhwebane probe over leaked audio

The ANC is seemingly protecting President Cyril Ramaphosa amid Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s investigation into his remarks heard in a leaked audio.

ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile has informed, via letter, Mkhwebane that she does not have jurisdiction to investigate Ramaphosa for allegedly breaching the Executive Code of Ethics, City Press has reported.

The investigation was launched after ANC MP Mervyn Dirks wrote to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) requesting the committee to summon Ramaphosa to account for remarks he made in a leaked audio recording.

SACAA urged to ground Comair again after British Airways flight landing incident

There has been a call for Comair’s operating licence to suspended yet again after a British Airways flight experienced technical problems with its landing gear on Saturday.

The flight, which was travelling from Gqeberha to Cape Town, had trouble landing at an airport, resulting in a 15 minute delay.

“We confirm that following a landing gear warning indication on BA6324 on final approach from Gqeberha to Cape Town International Airport, the pilot performed standard safety checks, and once the correct reading was achieved a normal landing was carried out,” a statement read.

Parliament threatens to dissolve embattled Mangaung metro

The repeated lack of preparation for briefings by Free State’s Mangaung metro has angered MPs, who threatened to invoke their powers and dissolve the embattled municipality.

Parliament’s committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) on Sunday lambasted Mangaung for undermining its work by coming to a meeting unprepared, forcing MPs to postpone the sitting to next week.

The continued deterioration of Mangaung, with concerns about political infighting and divisions paralised the city even further, said the committee’s chair China Dodovu.

Health dept dismisses claims of govt going ahead with new health rules, mandatory vaccines

The Department of Health has dismissed messages circulating on social media about the new proposed Covid-19 rules and mandatory vaccinations as fakes news.

Messages saying that the government is moving ahead with the new health regulations and mandatory vaccination policy next month has been making rounds.

But the department has labelled these claims as fake news.

The fake news comes after the department published the draft regulations this week as government aims to move the country out of the national State of Disaster.

Is Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka SA’s next deputy president?

Rumours are swirling that University of Johannesburg chancellor Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka could become the country’s next deputy president. 

According to a report by City Press, a lobby group met with Mlambo-Ngcuka many times to discuss the possibility, which she later confirmed to the publication. 

Mlambo-Ngcuka told City Press she was “flattered” by the proposal, but that choosing young party members, preferably female, would be the ideal situation. 

‘Ninja killer’ was ‘counselled’ by murder cult leader Cecilia Steyn – report

“Samurai killer” Morné Harmse apparently received counseling as a schoolboy from Cecilia Steyn, the mastermind behind the sensational “appointment murders” that rocked the Krugersdorp community, reports Rapport.

According to the report, a reliable police source said they suspect Steyn “prepared” Harmse to become part of her murder cult.

Cecilia, Marcel Steyn and Zac Valentine killed 11 people from 2012 to 2016 in the Krugersdorp area.

Anti-xenophobic group wants court to overturn Human Rights Day march prohibition

An anti-xenophobic group due to embark on a march on Monday that were reportedly prohibited by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department want to take the matter to court.

Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia were reportedly prohibited so as not to cause any disruption on Human Rights Day, which is being celebrated on Monday.

The group had since last month palanned to walk through the streets of Hillbrow to raise awareness of attacks on immigrants. They also wanted to hand a memorandum to Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s office.

Proteas bounce back to level ODI series against Bangladesh

The Proteas summoned up the most appropriate of responses to their shock defeat in the series opener as they hammered Bangladesh by seven wickets with 12.4 overs to spare in the second ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday.

Having been beaten by 38 runs in Centurion two days earlier, the Proteas were led to victory by their big guns, with Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock both producing special performances.