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Daily news update: Mabuyane fights back, 8 taxis set alight in Gqeberha and Lesufi vs Orania
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.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane. Picture: @OscarMabuyane/Twitter
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Mabuyane asks court to interdict Hawks from investigating him
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has asked the Bhisho High Court to interdict the Hawks’ investigation against him, calling it “unconstitutional/invalid”.
Newzroom Afrika reports that the premier also wants the unit to hand over all the evidence they have in their possession to him.
According to the news channel, Mabuyane claimed in court papers that the Hawks were being used to conduct a political witchhunt by his opponents within the African National Congress (ANC).
WATCH: ‘Somalians’ burn 8 taxis as tensions escalate after Gqeberha crash
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is on high alert in Gqeberha after a confrontation between a taxi driver and Somalian businessman ended in shops, taxis and cars being set alight.
According to police spokesperson colonel Priscilla Naidu, a taxi and an Audi were involved in an accident in Durban Road in Korsten on Wednesday afternoon and a confrontation ensued.
“It is alleged that at about 14:00 this afternoon, 13/10, a collision between the abovementioned vehicles took place. It is further alleged that the driver of the taxi alighted and started to assault the driver of the Audi,” said Naidu.
Load shedding set to stop but system still shaky
Eskom has confirmed that load shedding will be suspended at 5am on Thursday, but significant risks to
the system remain and load shedding could again be implemented at short notice.
“We have used the past six days of load shedding to conduct some repairs to generating units and to continue with the
maintenance programme,” said the parastatal in a statement on Wedensday.
“Even though we were able to replenish emergency generation reserves, we have had to continue relying on these to support power system over this period.”
WATCH: Mandatory Covid vaccinations on the cards – What you need to know
Business For South Africa (B4SA) this week discussed the legalities, policies and practicalities of mandatory Covid-19 vaccines in the workplace.
Several of South Africa’s leading companies “have announced their intention to introduce mandatory vaccination policies within their organisations”, B4SA said.
The debate around this matter is growing both in South Africa and globally.
The group, which describes itself as “an alliance of South African volunteers working with the South African government”, held a webinar with a panel of experts to “explore insights generated by Discovery Health, Sanlam and Life Healthcare, whom have all adopted mandatory vaccination policies”.
Ex-MEC Mandla Msibi’s bail hearing adjourned after bomb scare
The bail application of former Mpumalanga MEC for agriculture Mandla Msibi has been adjourned after a bomb scare at the court.
The Nelspruit Magistrates Court had to be evacuated when Magistrate Suzan Monaledi received a message that there was a bomb in the building.
“Can we please all leave the building. I have just received a message that there’s a bomb in the building. Therefore, let’s all leave and we will be told when to come back,” Monaledi reportedly said.
Lesufi vs FF Plus: Petition to shield Afrikaner enclave after ‘Orania will go’ tweet
Well, that escalated. In response to Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s tweet last week, a petition has been launched to “protect Orania”. Here’s what the Freedom Front Plus had to say.
The petition calls on supporters of Orania to show Lesufi that they “won’t be intimidated” by him.
In a tweet directed to the Freedom Front Plus, Lesufi said affirmative action would be around until their “ancestors sins are eradicated”.
He added: “We are also ‘nie bang nie’. Orania will go, you can scream and shout as you wish.”
145 babies were abandoned at Gauteng public hospitals in 2020, says health MEC
There were 145 babies who were abandoned by their mothers at various Gauteng hospitals last year.
This was revealed by Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the provincial legislature.
According to Mokgethi, Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, had 51 abandoned babies in 2020.
Other hospitals with high number of abandoned babies were Leratong Hospital (14), Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (13), Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (12), Tembisa Hospital (10) and Tambo Memorial Hospital ( five).
