Daily news update: De Ruyter bugged, Hot weather and school placements

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Daily news update: 3 October 2022

Eskom confirms de Ruyter’s car was bugged

Power utility Eskom has confirmed that a sophisticated bug was found in the vehicle of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andre de Ruyter.

According to weekend media reports, a preliminary investigation by a forensic company found the device is “typically used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies” and investigators say it is “not commercially available on the open market”.

De Ruyter was quoted saying he discovered the bug under the driver’s seat when he was cleaning his vehicle on Friday last week.

“I was in the back of my Volvo when I saw something strange on the floor underneath the driver’s seat,” he told the Sunday Times. “The device — a motherboard filled with microchips — immediately looked out of place. I assume it was stuck to the bottom of the seat and must have shaken loose.”

Another scorcher of a week in store for Gauteng residents

The scorching hot weather conditions that have been experienced in Gauteng and in other parts of the country are expected to persist this week with slightly cooling off towards the weekend.

This past weekend saw hot to very hot temperatures experienced.

ALSO READ: ‘Hot to very hot weekend’: Scorching temperatures expected in Gauteng

Speaking to The Citizen on Sunday, senior forecaster at the South African Weather Service (SAWS) Puseletso Mofokeng said other provinces expected to continue feeling the heat include North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

Maximum temperatures in Johannesburg are expected to peak at 33°C on Monday before reaching highs of 34°C on Tuesday.

‘We defended Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma, why not Matamela’-Mbalula

“Cyril Ramaphosa is our president and we must not apologise when he is under attack when we defend him.”

This is according to the head of elections at the African National Congress (ANC) Fikile Mbalula.

Speaking during the party’s Letsema campaign in Kimberly on Saturday, Mbalula said when people attack Ramaphosa as leader of the ANC, they are destroying the party.

“We defended Nelson Mandela, we defended Thabo Mbeki, we defended Jacob Zuma and we will defend Matamela as our president and if you branches say he must continue, there is nothing wrong because all of them got their second terms.

At least 129 dead in Indonesia football stadium riot

At least 129 people died at an Indonesian football stadium riot in which thousands of angry home fans invaded the pitch and police responded with tear gas that triggered a stampede, authorities said Sunday.

The tragedy on Saturday night in the eastern city of Malang, which also left 180 injured, was one of the world’s deadliest sporting stadium disasters.

Arema FC supporters at the Kanjuruhan stadium stormed the pitch late on Saturday after their team lost 3-2 to the visiting team and bitter rivals, Persebaya Surabaya.

Police, who described the unrest as “riots”, said they tried to force fans to return to the stands and fired tear gas after two officers were killed.

Grade 1 and 8 school placement offers to be sent on Monday – Lesufi

Grade one hopefuls have one sleep left before they learn where and if they have been placed in a Gauteng school.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi addressed the media at Hoërskool Menlopark on Sunday on the placement process for the 2023 Grade 1 and 8 Online Admissions in Gauteng.

The MEC explained MEC how parents who applied for Grade 1 and/or Grade 8 in Gauteng will be receiving placement offers throughout the duration of the placement period.

He also gave guidelines and insight on how the placement process would ensue.

Perez takes controversial, incident packed Singapore Grand Prix win

 The FIA has concluded it’s investigation and while it found Perez did contravene safety car regulations twice, once on lap 10 and then again on lap 36, the imposed punishments include a reprimand and for the second incident, a five second penalty as well as two penalty points.

However, as he had a 7.5 second lead over Leclerc when the flag dropped, he retains the win and therefore the results remain as is.

Sergio Perez scored his second victory of the year by leading home Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in an incident filled, safety car affected Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday (2 October).

In a race that started over an hour late after torrential rain battered the Marina Bay street circuit mere hours before the start, pole-sitter Perez got the jump on the Leclerc at the start and despite not only the numerous safety cars, but also varying track conditions and reported engine difficulties in the latter stages, held on to win for the first time since Monaco in May.