Daily news update: ANC’s cadre deployment minutes, malaria alert and Steinhoff settlement

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

Daily news update 25 January

ANC hoped to stop Zondo from making cadre minutes public

It has emerged that the African National Congress (ANC) intended to obtain an interdict against the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture from releasing the party’s deployment committee minutes.

The deployment committee minutes were attached to the first part of the state capture report, which was released earlier this month.

A news report by City Press claims the governing party expressed its dissatisfaction to the commission’s chairperson, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, for making the deployment committee’s minutes public without being warned first.

This follows the ANC’s request to the commission before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s testimony on 11 and 12 August last year.

Arms deal: Date set for Jacob Zuma’s Thales case

Former president Jacob Zuma’s arms deal trial continues next week as the application for leave to appeal will be heard in the High Court.

The former statesman and Thales are on trial over the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal struck when Zuma was KZN’s MEC for Economic Development, in the 1990s.

Zuma faces 18 charges and 783 counts of fraud‚ corruption, money laundering, and racketeering – while Thales is facing four counts.

Woman who allegedly stole R4 million from SBV abandons bail bid

A former SBV Services security guard, who allegedly stole R4 million in cash from her employer in 2019, on Monday abandoned her bid to be released on bail.

Bathobile Mlangeni, 31, made a brief appearance at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft.

Mlangeni was arrested in Zola, Soweto, on 6 January 2022 after police received a tip-off on her whereabouts. She had been on the run from authorities for more than two years.

Waterkloof Air Force Base fire: ‘No foul play whatsoever’ – SANDF

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on Monday said no foul play is suspected in the Waterkloof Air Force Base fire.

It’s suspected a pipe burst at the bulk fuel storage, however, Brigadier-General Andries Mahapa says “investigations are underway”.

The cause of the fire, the magnitude of the damage and the cost of the damage to the bulk fuel depot will be determined, as well as incidents which may have led to the fire breakout.

DA Western Cape leader Albert Fritz resigns amid sexual assault allegations

Albert Fritz has agreed to resign as the DA Western Cape leader, amid allegations of sexual assault.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province has confirmed the news that Fritz, who is at the centre of ‘serious allegations’, has agreed to step down from his position.

While the DA hasn’t divulged what the ‘serious allegations’ are, media reports state that Fritz is being investigated for sexual assault.

Fritz was suspended as MEC for Community Safety by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde on Sunday.

Former DA member Bongani Baloyi joins ActionSA

ActionSA has revealed that former Democratic Alliance (DA) member and Midvaal local municipality mayor, Bongani Baloyi, has joined the party as a member.

ActionSA made the announcement on Monday morning during a media briefing in Johannesburg.

Baloyi said he was not joining ActionSA out of anger and disappointment, but because he believed the party presented a great opportunity for the realignment of South African politics. He said he was “excited and energised” to be a member of ActionSA.

Court approves Steinhoff’s R25 billion settlement

The Western Cape High Court Monday approved a $1.6 billion (R25 billion) payout by embattled retail giant Steinhoff to settle fraud claims that emerged in 2017.

Tens of thousands of claimants have sought more than $8 billion in compensation after an accounting scandal sent share prices plunging 98 percent.

After years of litigation and negotiation, the High Court sitting in Cape Town agreed to the proposal in a two-page ruling delivered in a 30-minute hearing.

The settlement will cover a portion of each claim, if the claimants withdraw their separate lawsuits

NICD issues Malaria alert for SA

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has issued a malaria alert for the country.

The institute said that many malaria cases are being misdiagnosed as Covid-19, despite the country entering its peak malaria season.

Both the disease and Covid-19 have similar non-specific early symptoms including fever, chills, headaches, fatigue and muscle pain. Undiagnosed and untreated malaria rapidly progresses to severe illness, with a potentially fatal outcome.

ALSO READ: Daily news update: ANC divisions a threat says Ramaphosa, plans underway to open sports