Daily news update: Malema and Ndlozi’s trial, Don Mattera hospitalised and SA mourns Ebrahim

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Malema and Ndlozi’s cop assault trial postponed

The assault trial of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and party MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has been postponed by the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.

This after it emerged on Monday morning that one of the instructing attorneys had Covid-19 symptoms.

The trial is expected to resume on 7 April 2022.

Malema and Ndlozi face charges of assault in connection with an incident that occurred at the funeral of struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 2018.

ID’s Cronje was under political pressure to charge EFF leaders, claims Malema

Advocate Hermione Cronje, the outgoing head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) Investigating Directorate (ID), allegedly resigned because she was under political pressure to charge and prosecute the leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

That’s according to EFF leader Julius Malema, who claims that Cronje was given the mandate by the governing ANC to charge him and his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, by no later than March next year.

“The ANC, DA and white monopoly capital has tried to accuse us of this or that. Now Cronje has resigned from the NPA.”

Omotoso trial: Application for mistrial, judge’s recusal dismissed

Attempts made by Nigerian rape-accused televangelist Timothy Omotoso’s legal team to seek a mistrial, and for Judge Irma Schoeman to recuse herself, have both been dismissed. 

Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, face 97 charges, among them rape, human trafficking and racketeering, after allegedly targeting and recruiting young girls for sexual exploitation.

It is alleged that the girls were moved from their homes to two mission houses in KwaZulu-Natal, where they were allegedly made to engage in sexual acts with Omotoso.

Award-winning poet Don Mattera hospitalised after suspected stroke

Award-winning South African poet Don Mattera is in hospital after suffering what appears to be a stroke.

The Don Mattera Legacy Foundation said the writer and anti-apartheid activist, also known as Bra Zinga, was admitted to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital on Saturday.

In a statement, Mattera’s foundation said doctors suspect he had a slight stroke, but this is yet to be confirmed.

Teddy Mattera, the poet’s son and deputy chair of the Don Mattera Legacy Foundation, said his father was in good spirits.

Anti-apartheid activist and former deputy minister Ebrahim Ebrahim dies

Anti-apartheid activist and former deputy minister of international relations Ebrahim Ebrahim has died at the age of 84.

The cause of his death remains unclear at this stage, but it’s understood he had been battling illness for a long time at home.

Dozens of people have paid tribute to the late activist on social media as news of his death spreads.

Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Neeshan Boltan tweeted: “Another giant of the liberation struggle has fallen. Condolences to the family, friends and comrades of Ebilrahim Ebrahim.”

Tshwane is the global epicentre of the Omicron variant – SAMA

The City of Tshwane is the global epicentre of the newly detected Omicron Covid-19 variant, according to the South African Medical Association (SAMA).

The association’s Dr Fareed Abdullah says the rapid resurgence in new Covid-19 cases reported in Gauteng province could be attributed to the new variant, which was first documented by local scientists in Tshwane.

He said last week the Tshwane district recorded almost 10,000 new Covid infections in just five days, compared to other parts of the country.

Pioneer Foods recalls Safari products over salmonella infection concerns

Pioneer Foods has recalled certain batches of Safari peanuts & raisins and cashew nuts products in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

According to Pioneer Foods, routine testing at the Safari production site in KwaZulu-Natal identified a batch of products which tested positive for low levels of salmonella typhimurium (³ValmRQella´).

Based on safety protocols, production was immediately halted and the product placed on hold and ringfenced.
The production site was then deep-cleaned, and vector sampling completed, said Pioneer Foods in a statement on Monday.