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Daily news: R29m ‘stolen’ from Thabo Bester, 17-hr water outage, SA’s R4bn bridge
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
In today’s daily news update: Convicted rapist Thabo Bester claims items to the value of R29m had been stolen from him during his arrest in Tanzania.
Meanwhile, the Senzo Meyiwa trial continues with state witness Tumelo Madlala expressing frustration on Tuesday; and the transport minister urged ‘arrogant’ officials to release impounded taxis.
Daily news update: 18 June 2023
While residents in Soweta are facing a 17-hour water outage, Eskom said it would be suspending load shedding on Women’s Day.
And weather-wise, we’re expecting a mix of sun, clouds, and showers; forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.
R29m ‘stolen’ from Thabo Bester
Convicted rapist Thabo Bester has left South Africans in shock after revealing a list of items he claims were stolen from him during his arrest in Arusha, Tanzania, in April.
Bester and his lover Dr Nandipha Magudumana, along with their co-accused, appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning.
The case has been postponed to 11 October for further investigation.
READ: Rolex watches among items worth R29m ‘stolen’ from Thabo Bester during his arrest
Senzo Meyiwa trial
State witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Tumelo Madlala, has expressed frustration over the suggestion there was no intruders in the home belonging to Kelly Khumalo’s mother when his longtime friend was shot almost 10 years ago.
Madlala returned to the witness stand in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday following his testimony the day before.
The state witness was cross-examined by the defence to test the credibility of his version of events at the time of Meyiwa’s death on 26 October 2014.
READ: Senzo Meyiwa trial: ‘Yoh! I am fed up with these lies’ – Witness insists there were intruders
17-hour shutdown on 9 August
Rand Water said a major 17-hour water shutdown is required to repair leaking bypass pipelines and valves on Wednesday, 9 August 2023.
The maintenance will impact various areas around Soweto, and affect supply to certain reservoirs. As a result, surrounding areas may experience low pressure to no water.
Rand Water urges residents and businesses to store sufficient water for Wednesday and to use water sparingly during the scheduled maintenance. Further updates will be provided to customers on its official social media feed, @JHBWater.
READ: No water… Rand Water announces 17-hour shutdown on 9 August
Cape Town taxi strike:
As the taxi strike in Cape Town entered its sixth day on Tuesday, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga called for the immediate release – without any conditions – of minibus taxis impounded under the city’s amended traffic bylaws.
Chikunga addressed the media in Midrand on the government’s interventions in the taxi strike which was called by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) last Thursday.
The strike – which has been blamed for at least two deaths – has been marred by incidents of public violence, attacks on buses and private vehicles, as well as sporadic looting.
READ: Cape Town taxi strike: Transport minister urges ‘arrogant’ officials to release impounded taxis
SA’s R4bn tallest bridge
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has confirmed construction of the tallest bridge on the continent, the Mtentu Bridge will resume this week.
The R4.05 billion project in the Eastern Cape, which is part of Sanral’s N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) programme, is designed to have a main span of 260 metres at a maximum height of around 223 metres.
Construction stalled after nearly a year of work, when a previous contract was terminated amid protests in 2018. The development was awarded to the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and MECSA Construction joint venture (CCCC MECSA JV) in November last year.
READ: Don’t look down!- construction on SA’s R4bn tallest bridge in Africa resumes
In other news today:
- ‘NPA continues to fail women victims of GBV’ – AfriForum
- Health dept suspends Tembisa Hospital officials implicated in SIU report
- Fire ravages Marshall House building in Joburg
- Lauren Dickason wants to ‘return to SA and die’ to be reunited with kids
