Daily news update: Guptas extradition, Easter weekend traffic and murder accused cop in court

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Daily news update: 8 April

SA’s request to extradite Gupta brothers from UAE fails

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola on Friday said his department has learned with “shock and dismay” that South Africa’s application to extradite Atul and Rajesh Gupta from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been unsuccessful.

Lamola said his department will appeal the decision and will continue to engage with authorities in the UAE over the matter.

He also said the Gupta brothers had appeared in an extradition hearing in February. The South African government, however, was only told about this on Thursday.

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Easter weekend: Traffic volumes lower than expected so far

The Easter long weekend traffic volumes across South Africa so far have been much lower than that of last year.

The country’s interprovincial highways were expected to be extremely busy as thousands of people hit the road to visit their families for the Easter holiday, which usually experiences for high volumes of traffic and fatal car crashes.

The busiest routes at this time of the year include the N1 from Gauteng to Limpopo, the N3 from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal, the N2 from the Western Cape to Eastern Cape, the N14 to from Gauteng to the North-West and the N12.

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‘I acted in self-defence,’ officer who shot dead homeless man tells court

The murder trial of a Cape Town law enforcement officer who shot and killed a homeless man last year kicked off in the Wynberg Regional Court on Thursday.

Dressed in a buttoned red-chequered shirt and dark green pants, Luvolwethu Kati took to the dock. He is accused of shooting dead Dumisani Joxo, who was homeless, on 9 January 2022 in Rondebosch.

The trial was set to begin on 13 February, but could not proceed because some of the state’s witnesses were not in court.

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Truck driver forks out R20 000 after damaging heritage site

A truck driver was handed a six-month prison sentence by the George Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after he damaged a provincial heritage site.

The prison sentence will be suspended for five years after the driver paid R20 000 to the Department of Transport and Public Works for the damage.

Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said R20 000 was paid into the department’s account on Thursday.

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SACAA applauds pilot for remaining calm after deadly Cobra found in cockpit

A 30-year-old South African pilot has been applauded by The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) for his bravery after safely landing his aircraft despite a venomous snake being on board, 11,000ft in the air.

Rudolf Erasmus was flying with four passengers from Bloemfontein in the Free State to Tshwane on Monday when he had a close encounter with a large Cape Cobra which slithered up his back.

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New BMW X1 designed to embrace the future

BMW recently showcased a new version of the X1, one of the German premium carmaker’s most popular local products.

The all-new BMW X1 compact SUV, now in its third generation, has been extensively overhauled with a strong focus on future mobility.

A very upright front end features a large square kidney grille which closes at higher speeds to reduce drag, slim LED headlights and X-shaped lines fanning out the sides.

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Chiefs talisman Dolly on why actions speak louder than words

For Keagan Dolly, talking to his younger teammates and aspiring footballers from his township is not enough – he has to back it up with actions.

The 30-year-old Dolly says he leads by example and always gives his best both on and off the field to be a good role model.

He however has been under some pressure in the past few weeks with his contributions to Chiefs questioned by his critics and some supporters.

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