Daily news update: New date for elections, North West hospital and hotel on fire and more trouble for Hamilton Ndlovu

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Dlamini-Zuma proclaims 1 November as new date for local elections

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Wednesday said her department will proclaim 1 November as the new date for the local government elections.

This follows last week’s dismissal of the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) application at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to postpone the polls to February 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ConCourt had ordered the commission to hold the municipal elections between 27 October and 1 November.

Dlamini-Zuma had initially proclaimed 27 October as the date for the elections, but due to the ConCourt’s ruling, the IEC had to amend its election timetable.

PICS: North West hospital battles blaze as patients are evacuated

News broke on Wednesday morning that a fire was burning Mmabatho Palms Hotel and casino in Mahikeng, North West.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Mmabatho Palms Hotel in North West on fire

Although no injuries were reported, the damage appeared significant. 

Mere hours later, the North West Department of Health confirmed a fire had also broken out at Christiana Hospital, some three hours away from Mmabatho Springs. 

WATCH: Mmabatho Palms Hotel in North West on fire

Police and firefighters attended to a fire that broke out early on Wednesday morning at the Mmabatho Palms Hotel in Mahikeng, North West. 

So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported. 

The blaze is significant, however, with indications that the hotel – which is also a casino – will be badly affected.

More trouble for ‘PPE millions’ showoff Hamilton Ndlovu

The Special Tribunal has granted a preservation order interdicting, restraining and prohibiting controversial PPE-tender-linked businessman Thabiso Hamilton Ndlovu from disposing of his assets, money and properties pending the institution of review proceedings to be instituted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).

Judge Lebogang Modiba granted the order following an urgent ex parte application brought to the Special Tribunal on Tuesday, 31 August 2021.

Master KG survives a plane explosion

The Shine Your Light hitmaker told his Twitter followers how the left engine of the plane he was on exploded, while he was aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul.

“Damm [sic] this BS flight @TurkishAirlines left side engine just exploded just after we take [sic] off from Istanbul! We had to round for [four] hours so it can lower the fuel level so we can land back at the airport. [F]or a minute I thought it was over! God is Amazing big up to the pilots.”

Parliament tells Home Affairs to speed up Bushiri investigations

Parliament has called on the Department of Home Affairs to finalise its disciplinary investigations involving officials who allegedly helped Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) leader Shepherd Bushiri get permanent residency in South Africa.

This comes after Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi briefed the portfolio committee on home affairs to give an update on the progress of the work done by the department’s anti-corruption unit.

South Africa’s other pandemic: Teen pregnancy

At least 23,000 young girls aged between 10 and 19 are pregnant in Gauteng. There’s also some 934 unattended cases of statutory rape and 1,300 new HIV infections detected in young girls weekly.

“This is unacceptable,” said Phinah Kodisang, CEO of Soul City Institute For Social Justice.

Kodisang said Covid-19 revealed the impact of systemic patriarchy on young South African girls, who bear the brunt of gender inequality due to the pandemic.

“These developments are a reflection of overall failed efforts to adequately address systemic issues at the core of adolescent girls and young women’s lives,” said Kodisang.