Daily news update: Another pupil stabbed to death, Joburg water crisis and DA’s court bid to send Zuma back to prison

Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.

Another Alexandra pupil stabbed to death

Another pupil from Alexandra has been stabbed to death.

This time a Grade 7 female pupil from Pholosho Secondary School allegedly stabbed a Grade 9 boy from Alexandra High School.

The incident took place after school hours, on Thursday evening.

The Gauteng education department said the Grade 9 pupil succumbed to his wounds at a local hospital.

The matter has since been handed over to the police for further investigation into circumstances surrounding this incident.

DA takes first step in getting Zuma sent back to prison

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has filed court papers to have erstwhile president Jacob Zuma sent back to prison.

Steenhuisen announced on Friday that he had applied to the Gauteng High Court to review and set aside National Commissioner of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser’s decision to grant Zuma medical parole.

“I believe the decision is unlawful for at least two reasons,” said Steenhuisen.

EFF survives on money from Parliament, IEC and party levies, says Malema

EFF leader Julius Malema is adamant his party did not declare its funding sources to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) because it did not receive any donations above R100,000 between April and June this year.

Malema on Friday said the Red Berets had no donations to declare to the commission because they were surviving through funds received from Parliament, the IEC and party levies.

Sisulu’s Rapid Response Team spends R3.73 million on travel expenses – DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi and the Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu to immediately disband the two National Rapid Response Task Teams (NRRTTs) established by the previous minister, Lindiwe Sisulu.

Sisulu personally appointed members of the two controversial NRRTTs.

It is believed that many of the appointments happened without them even submitting CVs.

The appointees include Fees Must Fall, PAC and COPE members.

Joburg can no longer rely on its water supply

“We did not have water for nine days in July. Now it’s happened for the second time within a month,” said Tilly Meyer from the Glenzicht Retirement Village in Oakdene, Johannesburg.

Oakdene is one of six areas (South Hills, Linmeyer, Risana, Tulisa Park, parts of Oakdene and parts of Rosettenville Extension) receiving water from the South Hills tower, which were hit by water supply interruptions last week.

Digital vaccination certificate: What you need to know

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla on Friday said his department is developing digital vaccination certificates for South Africans that have been fully vaccinated.

When will they be available

Phaahla said the certificates would be available in a week and will also be in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) global standardised vaccination proof.

“This is in line with the World Health Organization’s initiative to attempt to standardise vaccination proof all over the world,” he said, “and in a matter of a week this should be available to those who are vaccinated in South Africa.”

Zimbabwean court authorises reburial of Mugabe at Heroes Acre

A Zimbabwe court on Friday sided with traditional chiefs seeking to exhume the remains of ex-president Robert Mugabe from his home village and move them to the capital, going against the family’s wishes.

Mugabe was buried in his rural home village of Kutama, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) west of Harare, in September 2019 after weeks of wrangling over his final resting place.

Mugabe’s wife Grace and other family members had opposed government plans to bury the former leader at the National Heroes Acre in the capital.

But while they eventually got their way, a traditional court in May fined the widow five cows and two goats for improperly burying her husband and called for his exhumation.