Pretoria News is a local newspaper circulating in the Tshwane Metropolitan area. Pretoria News covers a range of local news, as well as national and international news, comment and analysis by experts, sport, entertainment and lifestyle.
I DO ... UNTIL I DON’T While fewer divorces were filed for 2018/2019, according to Statistics South Africa the fairer sex are still leading the way in wanting to leave their spouses GOITSEMANG TLHABYE goitsemang.tlhabye@inl.co.za OUPA MOKOENA African News Agency (ANA) WHILE women were instituting divorce proceedings more than men in South Africa, there was a 6.2% decrease in divorces between 2018 and 2019. Statistics South Africa, in its 2019 Marriages and Divorces report, found that a total of 129 597 civil marriages, 2 789 customary marriages and 1 771 civil unions were recorded that year. Of these, 23 710 divorces were recorded. About 53.2% of women, mostly aged 41, filed for divorce in 2019 compared to 34.6% of men. However, the men were aged 45. Four in 10…
HIGHER EDUCATION PRESSURES Student funding discussion set to resume following protests SIYABONGA MKHWANAZI siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za African News Agency (ANA) THE Department of Higher Education will return to Parliament next week on Tuesday to discuss the issue of funding as students intensified their campaign of protests over funding. The meeting between the department, universities and students with MPs also comes after Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said he was continuing with discussions with all the role-players. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni also entered the fray this week when he told the National Council of Provinces that a solution had to be found. Students have been protesting over the last two weeks and father-of-three Mthokisizi Ntumba was shot and killed in Braamfontein when police and Wits students clashed. Some of the students were arrested…
Learners isolate after positive Covid-19 case SAKHILE NDLAZI sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za PARENTS have been urged to disclose to schools if their children test positive for Covid-19. The warning comes after about 100 Hoërskool Waterkloof pupils were placed under quarantine after a Grade 11 learner and the parents failed to declare a positive Covid-19 status to the school. Provincial Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the school reported that a learner tested positive and the school management were not made aware of this. “All the children who were in close contact with the learner were advised to isolate. We are monitoring the situation. “We call upon parents to always act responsibly and comply with Covid-19 regulations at all times,” said Mabona However, the school’s spokesperson, Annette Grobbelaar, denied these claims. “As soon…
BLACK PROSECUTORS ‘UNDERMINED, UNDER PAID’ Call for NPA to act against racism JAMES MAHLOKWANE james.mahlokwane@inl.co.za THOBILE MATHONSI African News Agency (ANA) THE National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers has called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to eliminate racism and nepotism influencing recruitments and appointments to positions. Members of the union blocked the gate of the NPA in Pretoria yesterday in an effort to convince management to agree to engage them on these allegations. The union’s national convenor, Solly Malema, said black prosecutors were being undermined and appointed to work in the rural areas. He said they were also overlooked for promotions and paid far less than their colleagues of different races. Malema said a chief prosecutor appointed in Joburg South in 2014 was suspended on…
ACCIDENT Aviation mourns ‘finest’ airmen killed in crash JONISAYI MAROMO THE SOUTH African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacca) is mourning the death of what it called two of the country’s finest aviators in a crash on Wednesday. Retired Colonel Rama Iyer, 69, and retired Major-General Desmond Barker, 71, were killed when the Patchen Explorer aircraft they were flying crashed in Pretoria. “Colonel Iyer’s illustrious career spans over 40 years, and many aviators looked up to him. He was generous with his vast knowledge, and hence well-respected in the flying community,” the Sacca said in a statement. At the time of his death, Iyer was employed on a contract basis in Sacca’s aviation safety operations division, assisting with various projects. Barker had a very distinguished career with the South African Air Force…
IN BREACH OF REGULATIONS Shopper’s explosive reaction after denied entry SAKHILE NDLAZI sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za THE SPAR outlet in Pretoria’s northern Les Marais suburb literally came under fire from a shopper who had been refused entry because he was not wearing a mask. The man didn’t take it “lightly” when he was denied entry – and he had an explosive reaction. According to store manager Unathi Nkasana, the man was first denied entry by security staff at around 1pm on Wednesday. After a short physical altercation, the man left the scene, but he was far from done. Nkasana said when he returned, he climbed on the cash register counters and jumped up and down before again being removed from the store. This would not be the last time staff and shoppers saw…
