Daily news update: 862 new Covid cases, Mngxitama visits Nkandla, 17 year old arrested for murder of Khune’s sister

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Daily Covid-19 update: 862 new cases, 31 more deaths

South Africa registered 862 confirmed new cases, while pharmaceutical giant Merck reported promising results in trials of a drug administered orally to Covid-10 patients.
South Africa registered 862 confirmed new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, while 31 people were confirmed to have died from the virus.

In a statement released on Sunday evening, health minister Zweli Mkhize said the total number of cases in South Africa has crept up to 1 521 1068 infections.

Graphic: Department of Health

18989 new tests have been conducted, bringing the total number of tests performed since the start of the outbreak to 9 255 492.

Of the 31 confirmed deaths on Sunday, 12 were in Gauteng, 2 in the Free State, 2 in KwaZulu-Natal, 4 in Mpumalanga, and 11 in the Western Cape.

BLF’s Andile Mngxitama says Nkandla meeting with Zuma was ‘detailed, very respectful’

Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama says his party held detailed and very respectful discussions with former president Jacob Zuma on Saturday during their “tea’’ meeting in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

BLF members were the latest group to visit Zuma at his homestead amid his standoff with the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.

The former statesman last month disobeyed a Constitutional Court order compelling him to appear before the commission, and he now faces a two-year jail term for contempt of court.

ALSO READ: Hlaudi Motsoeneng visits Zuma for Nkandla ‘tea’ meeting

BLF visit is to express solidarity with @PresJGZuma in the face of the attacks by WMC and some enemy agents. They spoke serious political analysis of SA.
A clear declaration of support by BLF for @PresJGZuma to continue to defy The Commission if Zondo does not recuse himself pic.twitter.com/xWIQnLRHB5

— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) March 6, 2021

Mngxitama said they went to Nkandla to express their full support for Zuma’s decision and black leaders he claims have been at the receiving end of constant attacks by “white capital”.

17-year-old boy arrested for murder of Itumeleng Khune’s sister

A 17-year-old boy is expected to appear before the Ventersdorp Children’s Court on Monday for the alleged murder of Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune’s younger sister.

North West police spokesperson Colonel Adéle Myburgh on Sunday said the teenager was charged on Friday following the alleged murder of 27-year-old Mapula (Meiki) Khune.

She was burnt alive in a house fire in Ventersdorp in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Police initially investigated an inquest but after obtaining more information, the inquest was changed to murder.

Magashule calls on ANC MPs to block process to impeach Mkhwebane – report

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has reportedly called on the governing party’s MPs to block the DA’s motion in the National Assembly to establish an impeachment inquiry into Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

This after an independent review panel established by Parliament last year found prima facie evidence of incompetence and misconduct against the Public Protector.

MPs are expected this month to vote on establishing the inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

ALSO READ: Mkhwebane’s head is on the chopping block

In an interview with the Sunday Times on Saturday, Magashule said principled ANC MPs would not vote in support of the motion brought by the official opposition party.

Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane in the dock at the Pretoria Magistrates Court appearing on charges of Perjury, 21 January 2021 . Picture: Neil McCartney

Mkhwebane ‘a hired gun’ says Mbaks, as her support grows

Support for embattled Public Protector Busissiwe Mkhwebane appears to be on the rise among a certain faction of the ruling party as well as the opposition, ahead of the proposed enquiry into her fitness to hold office.

Joining those in support of Mkhwebane on Sunday afternoon was the African Transformation Movement (ATM), who released a statement saying they reject the motion of no confidence in the Public Protector, which was brought by the DA.

In a statement, the ATM based their support of Mkhwebane on her supposedly being “a highly qualified and capable African woman whose competence and passion for transformation has made her enemy number one
for all the racist and corrupt dark forces.”

Doctor arrested in Alberton for clocking 178km/h, claims she was ‘late for work’

A 32-year-old doctor rushing to work in her Mercedes-Benz was arrested for speeding by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) following a high-speed chase on Saturday morning.

She was one of three motorists caught by Speed Enforcement Unit members for driving over the stipulated speed limit in Alberton.

The EMPD said the uncooperative health practitioner was caught at 06:45 by officers monitoring the N12, which is zoned 120km/h. She was driving at 178km/h in a black Mercedes-Benz sedan.

The Speed Enforcement Team had to call for back-up and gave chase, it added.

Police warn South Africans against purchasing fake Covid-19 vaccines

Police on Sunday warned South Africans to be wary of unscrupulous persons that are selling fake vaccines for Covid-19.

The warning follows a police raid in November last year of a warehouse in Germiston that resulted in hundreds of fake Covid-19 vaccines being seized after a global alert issued by Interpol.

ALSO READ: Fake Covid-19 vaccines seized in Germiston

Four people were arrested for contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act, the Customs and Excise Act as well as contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act.

Fake Covid-19 vaccines. Picture: Interpol

“About 2,400 doses of the fake vaccine and fake masks worth R6 million were found at a warehouse in Germiston, Gauteng,” said police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili in a statement on Sunday.

JCC dismisses complaints against Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe

Complaints against Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe’s wife, Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe, have been dismissed after the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) found that there was not enough evidence to warrant a formal investigation by a tribunal.

Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath accused Hlophe of gross misconduct and claimed in her allegations that there was a continuous and sustained attack on her dignity, that he had withdrawn her from duties she used to perform in her capacity as his deputy, that he had insulted her and used derogatory terms when he referred to her, and that he, generally, made her work environment unbearable.

ALSO READ: ‘We can’t just suspend Hlophe’ – JSC responds to calls for action against judge

Hlophe is also accused of assaulting his colleague, Judge Mushtak Parker.

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