Daily news update: SA mourns Desmond Tutu, 400 Christmas babies born in Gauteng

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu passes away

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his profound sadness at the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu on Sunday morning 26 December.

Archbishop Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, passed away in Cape Town at the age of 90.

In a statement on Sunday morning Ramaphosa shared his heartfelt condolences to Mam Leah Tutu, the Tutu family, the board and staff of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, the Elders and Nobel Laureate Group, and the friends, comrades and associates nationally and globally of the iconic spiritual leader, anti-apartheid activist and global human rights campaigner.

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.

‘Rest now dear Tata’ Mamkhize and more celebs pay tribute to Desmond Tutu

As tributes continued to pour in for anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu who died on Sunday aged 90, leaders from around the world and celebrities shared their praise for the icon.

Archbishop Tutu was the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, he passed away in Cape Town.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement, that Tutu‘s passing was “another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa.

“Desmond Tutu was a patriot without equal; a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.”

Tutu witnessed gravest injustices and most intolerable cruelty – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says there will be a period of mourning for the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu during which the national flag shall fly at half-mast at all flag stations countrywide and at South African diplomatic missions abroad.

This will be observed from the time of the formal declaration of the funeral until the night before the funeral service.

Details of the funeral and memorial services will be announced in the next few days.

Archbishop Tutu, the last surviving South African laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize, passed away in Cape Town on Sunday morning at the age of 90.

Suspected Boko Haram gang member arrested in Mamelodi

Gauteng police successfully traced and arrested a 31-year-old suspect on Sunday, who is on the list of the most wanted suspects believed to be part of the notorious Boko Haram gang in Pretoria.

This gang was allegedly involved in robberies, extortion, intimidation and other serious and violent crimes in Mamelodi and the surrounding areas. The suspect was tracked and located in Mamelodi where he was arrested.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, said the man was suspected to be involved in crimes such as business robbery, extortion, intimidation and other serious and violent crimes.

Over 400 Christmas babies born in Gauteng – Final numbers

The Gauteng Department of Health has revealed the final numbers of babies born on Christmas Day for 2021.

The statistics were released by the department on Sunday and the final number was 403 babies.

According to the stats, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital had the most births in Academic Hospitals, with a total of 44.

In tertiary hospitals, Tembisa Hospital had the most births with 35, 20 boys and 15 girls.

Regional and district hospitals in the province welcomed a total of 216 babies on Christmas Day.

KZN crime: Man allegedly stabs his own brother to death on Boxing day

Police in Durban are investigating a case of murder after a 41-year-old man was stabbed to death, allegedly by his own brother, on Sunday morning.

The man, from Redfern, Phoenix, allegedly had an altercation with his brother, due to the latter’s drug addiction and theft of items from his brother’s home. The 43-year-old suspect allegedly took a knife out of his pocket, and stabbed his sibling in the chest twice.

The incident took place shortly after midnight on Sunday morning, and members of the provincial ambulance services declared the victim dead at the scene.

A case of murder is being investigated.

Meanwhile, police in the province say they had their hands full this Christmas weekend, with cases of violence, illegal alcohol sales, and more.

Over 7,000 flights scrapped as Omicron hits Christmas weekend travel

More than 7,000 flights have been cancelled worldwide over the Christmas weekend and thousands more delayed, a tracking website reported Sunday, as the highly infectious Omicron variant brings holiday hurt to millions. 

Severe weather is compounding the travel chaos in the United States, with storms expected to wreak havoc on roadways in the country’s west, though they brought a white Christmas weekend to Seattle and parts of California.

According to Flightaware.com, more than 2,000 flights were cancelled on Sunday — including more than 570 originating from, or headed to, US airports. More than 4,000 delays were reported.