Daily news update: Ramaphosa briefs Xi Jinping, Clive Barker dies and Comrades Marathon

Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.

Daily news update: Sunday, 11 June 2023

Ramaphosa briefs Xi Jinping on African leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine, Russia

President Cyril Ramaphosa has briefed Chinese President Xi Jinping on the African Leaders Peace Mission to Ukraine and Russia as he grapples with a diplomatic conundrum of switching the venue of the upcoming Brics summit to avoid having to execute an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.  

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Putin, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.

African leaders seeking to broker peace in the Ukraine war are set to launch their mission “in mid-June,” a statement from the Presidency said on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa said last month that Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had each agreed to receive a six-member African peace team.

READ MORE: Ramaphosa briefs Xi Jinping on African leaders’ peace mission to Ukraine, Russia

‘Clive Barker will be remembered for uniting South Africans’ – Safa

In football news update, South African Football Association (SAFA) said the late Clive Barker will be remembered by South Africans for his role in helping to bring a nation together.

The 78-year-old Barker passed away on Saturday after fighting a “brave battle” with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)

The award-winning coach led the South African men’s senior national team also known as Bafana Bafana to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 1996, and also spearheaded the country’s first appearance at the FIFA World Cup in France in 1998.

Safa expressed gratitude to the medical professionals who cared for Barker over the past six months.

READ MORE: ‘Clive Barker will be remembered for uniting South Africans’ – Safa

Parliament to publish advert for new Public Protector next week

With less than six months until advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s tenure expires, Parliament is gearing up to appoint new Public Protector.

From next week, the ad hoc committee tasked with finding Mkhwebane’s replacement is set to publish an advertisement calling for nominations from the public, and applications from eligible candidates.

The committee, which consists of 11 voting members and 14 non-voting members, met this week and is expected to work through the National Assembly’s constituency period from 18 June to 31 August.

READ MORE: Parliament to publish advert for new Public Protector next week

AKA’s killers known to police as government ‘prepared’ to oppose Dr Nandipha appeal

The suspects behind the murder of Kiernan Forbes, also known as AKA, could soon be arrested.

This is according to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola.

Speaking at the launch of Operation Shanela in the North West on Friday, Masemola told the media that the police would soon make a breakthrough on the late musician’s murder.

“We know who we are looking for, it is a matter of just rounding all of them. We know exactly who we are looking for, that I can assure you, we know where we are going,” he said.

READ MORE: AKA’s killers known to police as government ‘prepared’ to oppose Dr Nandipha appeal

Eskom accepts fate after Treasury declines exemption on wasteful expenditure

Ailing state-owned parastatal Eskom has accepted its fate after Treasury denied it exemption from disclosing irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditures in its annual financial statements.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana issued a statement to say that he had declined the request.

“It is the view of the Minister that Eskom needs to do more operationally to reduce the scope of fraud and corruption before such exemption can be considered,” the statement read.

In April, Godongwana granted the parastatal the request, but backtracked on the decision following public outcry.

READ MORE: Eskom accepts fate after Treasury declines exemption on wasteful expenditure

Cops ready to tackle Comrades Marathon

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Services (Saps), General Fannie Masemola has wished police officers taking part in the Comrades Marathon well.

At least two hundred police men and women will be running in the 96th down run Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 11 June 2023.

Out of the 200 runners set to undergo the marathon dubbed the ultimate human race, 170 of them are males, while 30 are female police officers.

Masemola said the majority of the officers have taken part in the race before and only 26 of them are novice runners.

READ MORE: Cops ready to tackle Comrades Marathon