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Daily News update: Mine drama turns ‘critical’, Malema’s Eskom warning, and EFF’s historic win
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
In today’s news, a sit-in protest at Gold One mine’s Modder East mine in Springs has reportedly turned “critical”, with miners allegedly running out of food underground, and Malema has warned Eskom’s new CEO.
A bus crash in Mpumalanga has left at least seven people dead and over 50 injured, the EFF score a ‘historic’ by-election win, and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has moaned about how often he has to appear in parliament.
Kaizer Chiefs get a win and Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard celebrates his sixth wedding anniversary.
News today: 10 December
‘It’s a very critical situation’- Gold One miners reportedly ‘running out of food’
Miners at Gold One’s Modder East mine in Springs, east of Johannesburg, are reportedly running out of food, in a situation that had been described as ‘critical’.
More than 400 miners are participating in what is claimed to be a sit-in protest against recent dismissals and a lack of recognition for union Amcu (Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union).
Some of those who have surfaced dismissed claims they were held “hostage”, despite reports of people in balaclavas “rounding up and herding” people to a central area in the mine.
Malema’s warning to new Eskom boss
EFF leader Julius Malema has fired off a warning to new Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane, claiming he will not succeed as long as Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan remains in office.
The power utility confirmed Marokane’s appointment on Friday, saying he would start “no later than 31 March 2024”.
Taking to social media, Malema congratulated Marokane and took a dig at Gordhan.
“Congratulations Dan Marokane, the new Group Chief Executive of Eskom. You will never succeed if Jamnadas [Gordhan] remains the minister. I hope you won’t capitulate to his nonsense,” Malema said.
The Democratic Alliance rejected the appointment, claiming Marokane would not bring any change.
7 dead, more than 50 injured after bus veers off cliff at Long Tom Pass in Mpumalanga
At least seven people have lost their lives and 52 were left injured when a bus veered off the road on the Long Tom Pass in Mpumalanga on Friday evening.
The bus plunged off a cliff on the mountain pass on the R37 road between Lydenburg and Sabie.
“On arrival on the scene, a luxury 60-seater bus was found to have careened off the roadway and down the cliff side of the mountain pass,” said Emer-G-Med, whose paramedics responded to the scene of the accident.
PICS: Handré Pollard and his wife celebrate 6 years of marriage
The Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard and his wife Marise Pollard are celebrating six years of marriage.
The pair tied the knot in 2017 at the Cavalli Estate in the Cape Winelands, Cape Town.
Taking to Instagram, Handre said being married to Marise has been bliss.
“Year six of being married to you has been crazy, but by far the best and most memorable of them all. I love you so much, Marise Pollard, and I can’t wait to grow our family with you,” he wrote on Saturday.
Nzimande complains that Parliament asks him to account too often
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Friday complained that he is called to appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation too often.
“You meet with my DG (director general) five times more than I am able to meet with my DG,” he said.
He said his team spent too much time in Parliament which meant they weren’t able to get as much work done as they would like.
“In order to account, we must account for work that we are able to do.”
Mmodi on the mark as Chiefs ease past Polokwane
Pule Mmodi struck the decisive blow in Kaizer Chiefs’ 1-0 victory at Polokwane City in the DStv Premiership on Saturday, while Bruce Bvuma put in another fine display in goal at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
This was the first time Chiefs have won back-to-back matches in the league since the end of August, with those two victories over AmaZulu and Stellenbosch also the last time Mmodi hit the back of the net.
EFF hails ‘historic’ by-election victory in Western Cape
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said its victory in the by-election this week in Ward 9 in the Saldanha Bay municipality is a sign that its popularity is increasing across South Africa.
The EFF made history this week when it shocked the ANC by winning the Ward 9 by-election on the West Coast. The EFF got 57% of the votes, while the ANC recorded 43%.
It is the first time the EFF has won a by-election in the Western Cape.
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