News today: Taxi feud, idle staff paid, Boks bench split, anti-cadre bill, Nsfas saga

News today includes frustrated motorists left in lengthy traffic jams as rival minibus taxi operators brought traffic to a standstill.

Meanwhile, staff at Tshwane’s defunct power station, Rooiwal, have reportedly been earning a salary for doing nothing… for more than a decade.

News Today: 20 September

From damaging waves and extreme fire risks to varied provincial weather outlooks, here’s what to expect on Wednesday.

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

Taxi ‘feud’ shuts down intersection

Frustrated motorists were left in lengthy traffic jams as rival minibus taxi operators brought traffic to a standstill on a busy Joburg intersection on Tuesday.

The operators blocked off the intersection of Perth Road and Portland Avenue in Westdene, west of Johannesburg, in a suspected clash over routes.

According to a witness, protestors blocked the route with stones and threatened motorists. Metro Police watched on as chaos ensued.

CONTINUE: WATCH: Taxi ‘feud’ shuts down major Joburg intersection

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Power station’s idle staff paid

For more than a decade staff at Tshwane’s defunct power station, Rooiwal, have reportedly been earning a salary for doing nothing.

On Monday Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink briefed the media at the power station near Hammanskraal, where he outlined the city’s electricity plan.

Rooiwal and Pretoria West stations, have been non-operational since 2012, yet cost the city about R300 million a year for salaries and maintenance.

CONTINUE: ‘Sitting, eating, sleeping’: Power station’s idle staff earning salaries for over a decade

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RSA vs IRE: Boks go for 7-1 bench split

Eben Etzebeth makes a return from injury while the Springboks have stunningly backed their ‘bomb squad’ with them naming a 7-1 split on the bench for their massive Rugby World Cup pool match against Ireland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Saturday night.

The Boks made waves last month when the late injury withdrawal of Willie le Roux saw them name a 7-1 bench split for the first time against the All Blacks, with the gamble paying off as they racked up a record 35-7 win over their old foes.

CONTINUE: Etzebeth back as Boks go for 7-1 bench split for Ireland clash

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ANC blocks DA’s ‘undesirable’ bill

The African National Congress (ANC) has used its majority in Parliament to reject a Democratic Alliance (DA)-sponsored bill which sought to address the political influence within the public sector.

The Public Administration Laws General Amendment Bill was first tabled in 2021 by DA MP Leon Schreiber.

The draft legislation aims to make it a criminal offence to interfere in appointments and prohibit political office-bearers from employment in the public sector.

CONTINUE: ANC blocks DA’s ‘undesirable’ anti-cadre deployment bill in Parliament

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Allegations against Nsfas CEO

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande says the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) is investigating CEO Andile Nongogo for allegedly signing off on dodgy payments. 

Nogongo was placed on special leave amid uproar over the scheme’s direct payment contract.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Nzimande said he was awaiting a final report on Nsfas’ investigation.

CONTINUE: ‘We are not hiding anything,’ says Nzimande on allegations against Nsfas CEO Andile Nongogo

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In other news today:

• South Africans convicted for breaking Covid-19 rules could have criminal records scrapped
• Ramaphosa praises NHI at UN General Assembly, while doctors in SA raise concerns
• ConCourt affidavit on Pistorius’ litigation to be filed, says justice department after delay
• Slight drop in children as young as 10 giving birth, but terminations are on the rise
• ‘It’s just desperate fake news’, Zuma Foundation rubbishes claims of Zuma, Mpofu split

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Yesterday’s News recap

READ: Dlamini-Zuma in hot water, inflation, ZEP, stage 6 costs R1b/day