Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-06-10 i Pretoria News

THE Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, sitting at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, denied bail to rape-accused teacher Bongani Timothy Ntuli. The educator was arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old at Spark Primary School, said Gauteng regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Lumka Mahanjana. “Ntuli is facing a charge of raping a Grade 6 learner from his school. It is alleged on May 5, 2022, the mother of the boy noticed behavioural changes in the child, as he was not eating his favourite food,” Mahanjana said. Later that day, Majanhana said the concerned mother decided she would share a bed with the boy, and that was when she noticed that he was struggling to sleep and had some bleeding. “The following day, the mother noticed money was withdrawn from her…

The $4 million (about R62m farmgate scandal, which threatens to cut short President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency, has thrust his deputy David Mabuza into the spotlight as a possible replacement. But who is Mabuza? His first stint as a top government leader came in the late 1990s, when then Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa sent his driver to fetch the then headmaster Mabuza from school to swear him in as the provincial education MEC. Under premier Thabang Makwetla, Mabuza moved to the agriculture department, where he started planning to become provincial chairperson of the ANC. Mabuza is respected for playing his cards very close to his chest, sometimes planning years ahead of events. His then contender for the position of ANC provincial chair, Lassy Chiwayo, later said Mabuza had recruited him to…

SCHOOLS were expected to be operational today despite the threat of a national shutdown. News of a possible national shutdown has been circulating on social media following the recent spike in fuel prices which will ultimately lead to a taxi fare increase. In a message to parents yesterday, various schools said they would be operating as normal today. “Exams will continue as planned tomorrow (meaning today). Please make ensure your child is at school tomorrow to write exams,” a message from one of the schools read. On the eve of the national shutdown yesterday, the organisers still remained unknown. Numerous organisations have come forward to distance themselves from the shutdown messages that have been doing the rounds on social media. Social media posts and chat groups have been sharing warnings…

A 17-YEAR-OLD uMlazi mother is grieving the death of a baby she never knew after she was told at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital that the healthy baby she took home wasn’t hers and the baby believed to be hers, died in hospital. Andiswa Hlongwane gave birth on Friday, May 6 just after 1am. Andiswa’s mother, Phumzile Hlongwane, said there were no complications, and she picked up her daughter and the newborn on Monday after they spent the weekend in hospital. Phumzile said after four days of being at home, she received a call from the hospital requesting that Andiswa and the baby come to the hospital for a regular check-up and vaccines. “I sent Andiswa and the baby to the hospital the following day. When they were in hospital I…

Unity has, for the better part of human development, been a key driver for the advancement of nations and society in general. The ability to unite people around a common vision or shared history has been a remarkably powerful motive for development and progress. This unification has been a key driver of national and foreign policy. As we contend with our own issues here in South Africa, we can affirm that unity is indispensable to national growth and prosperity. It is no major surprise that those who are opposed to the growth and development of China have also been against the reunification of China with Taiwan and have been working overtime to undermine the One China Policy. These forces, led by America, understand clearly that national unity has been one…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the fate of the whole Donbas region hinges on the “very fierce” battle with Russian troops for the flashpoint eastern city of Severodonetsk. Moscow’s forces are concentrating their firepower on the key industrial hub as part of efforts to capture a swathe of eastern Ukraine. As shelling and air strikes killed another 11 people around the country, Ukraine said yesterday that the Western long-range artillery it has been begging for would end the fight for Severodonetsk in days. Zelenskyy said the battle for the city was “probably one of the most difficult throughout this war. In many ways, the fate of our Donbas is being decided there”. Following days of raging street battles, Ukrainian officials conceded that Russian troops control a large part of Severodonetsk…

Indonesian naval officers have asked for $375 000 (about R5.7m) to release a fuel tanker they detained last week, accusing it of anchoring illegally in Indonesian waters off Singapore, two people involved in negotiations over the unofficial payment said. The incident comes after a report of a dozen similar detentions last year. In those cases, the ship owners made unofficial payments of about $300 000 each and the vessels detained by the Indonesian navy east of Singapore were released. The Nord Joy fuel tanker was boarded by armed navy personnel on May 30 while anchored in Indonesian waters to the east of the Singapore Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, the sources said. Asked to comment on whether naval officers had asked for $375 000 to release the…

Yaoundé: Seven people were missing after a motorised canoe sank on a waterway in central Cameroon, the region’s top administrator said. “A canoe with 12 people on board sank on Tuesday. There are five survivors but we have no news of seven people,” said Peter Ntieh Nde, prefect of the Nyong and Kele region. The boat sank on the Nyong River near the village of Malombo, about 650km northeast of the capital Yaounde, he said. Local people had organised a search, he said. At least 17 people died in August 2019 when a passenger boat capsized on a sandbar in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Cameroon. | AFP…

BEIJING: Taikonauts of the Shenzhou-14 crew will carry out 24 in-orbit medical experiments during their six-month stay in China’s space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency yesterday. These space medical experiments are mainly designed to study how the weightless environment and spaceflights affect taikonauts, said Li Yinghui, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space programme. The Shenzhou-14 will collect body fluid samples, including taikonauts’ blood, urine, and saliva. The trio will also use non-invasive optical methods to measure muscle loss and analyse urine metabolites. China launched the Shenzhou-14 mission, the third crew for the country’s space project. | Xinhua…

THE IMPACT of Comair’s liquidation was a significant loss to the nation, and sub-Saharan Africa, and would likely impact not only business and private trips, but the industry and those who supply the failed firm, Kevin Storie, the acting chief executive of Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa (Caasa) said yesterday. Storie said that there was the possibility of a significant increase in ticket prices due to availability. Caasa promotes and protect the commercial interest of the general aviation industry in southern Africa. Its member companies include airport operators, non-scheduled operators, business aircraft operators, flying training organisations, aircraft maintenance companies and companies offering a whole range of supporting and retail services. Storie said while the organisation did not represent scheduled operators such as Comair, the liquidation of the airliner was…

DISGRUNTLED ANC members in Tshwane have threatened to approach the High Court in a bid to nullify the results of the regional elective conference held at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways last weekend. Members, represented by law firm Avela Nontso Attorneys, have questioned the lawfulness of the meeting on the basis that there were allegedly at least 32 branches from the region that did not qualify to participate in the conference. They have given the ANC until June 13 to declare the conference results invalid or face a legal challenge at the High Court on an urgent basis to set aside the outcome. At least 260 delegates took part in the voting process, which resulted in the election of a new regional executive committee under chairperson Eugene “Bonzo” Modise. The…

SEVEN alleged kidnappers have been arrested and a businessman who was allegedly snatched from his business premises in Hercules, Pretoria, has been rescued. Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the businessman was abducted on Saturday. “The investigating team operationalised intelligence information on Tuesday and arrested one foreign national along the N12 route towards Potchefstroom. The suspect was found in possession of bank cards and a driver’s licence which belonged to another victim who was reported kidnapped in Gugulethu, Western Cape in 2021,” said Netshiunda. Further investigations led police to Crystal Park in Ekurhuleni where the Pretoria businessman was rescued. Three people who were found “safeguarding the victim” were arrested. Police recovered one firearm and a toy gun at the Crystal Park premises. Follow-up investigations pointed police to Tembisa, where three…

Tshwane law enforcement agencies say the battle against the unrelenting spate of cable thefts is far from over. The spokesperson for the Tshwane Metro Police Department, Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba, said curbing cable theft in many parts of the city was still a huge challenge. According to Mahamba, cable theft has caused frequent power outages for long periods in areas east of Pretoria. He said the hot spots included areas north of Pretoria, particularly Soshanguve and Pretoria North. “Although the city’s Cable Theft Unit dealt with numerous complaints regarding power outages as a result of cable theft, winning the battle against criminals is something the team is still working hard towards,” he said. Mahamba said members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department’s Cable Theft Unit arrested a suspect for the…

Inflation was one of the top issues affecting citizens of countries around the world last month, as revealed in the Ipsos study, What Worries the World for May. The market research company’s monthly What Worries the World survey explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues currently, across 27 countries. May’s What Worries the World study revealed that concern about inflation had risen for the 10th month in a row and remains the number one worry, with a global average of one in three (34%) participants saying inflation was one of the top issues affecting their country. According to the study, all 27 countries surveyed have a higher “worried about inflation” figure in May than they did at the start of the year. South Africa…

A litany of unconstitutional and criminal violations Make no mistake. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s conduct as detailed in the criminal complaint filed by Arthur Fraser, the former State Security head, paints a picture of egregious criminal activities and insouciance for the Constitution. Equally, Ramaphosa’s response to the complaint is emblematic of the corrupt and highly ill-disciplined executive branch, which thrives on lies, evasion and the self-delusion that he is the messiah we all deserve. According to Fraser, suspects acting in cahoots with Ramaphosa’s domestic worker stole money from the president’s farm in February 2020. The amount was estimated to be between $4 million (about R61m) and $8m. These were the proceeds from wild animals that had been sold as part of the president’s game-selling business. Ramaphosa reportedly “instructed Major-General (Wally)…

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army this week accused neighbouring Rwanda of deploying 500 special forces troops on its soil, as tensions flare between the two central African states. The accusation comes amid a sharp deterioration of relations between the countries over the recent resurgence of the M23 militia in the DRC’s volatile east. The DRC has accused Rwanda of backing the rebel group and last month said it had detained two Rwandan soldiers in its eastern region, holding this as proof of the country’s involvement. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the M23. The DRC’s army spokesperson in eastern North Kivu province, General Sylvain Ekenge, accused Rwanda of fielding hundreds of troops beyond its borders. “Rwanda has changed the uniform of its soldiers to conceal its presence in Congolese territory…

Baroda: Gujarat woman Kshama Bindu, who grabbed the headlines and hit the eye of the storm after she expressed her intention to marry herself, has solemnised her marriage in a private function at her residence. Kshama, 24, performed mehandi, haldi ceremonies and got married this week in the presence of 10 people, including her friends and colleagues. She shared her wedding pictures on Instagram. Her marriage had to be solemnised at home on June 8 instead of temple on June 11 as the priest who had agreed to get Kshama married to herself backed out after opposition from local politicians. | IANS…

Berlin: German national carrier Lufthansa said yesterday it was cancelling hundreds of flights during the summer holidays because of staff shortages as the industry attempts to bounce back from the pandemic. The company said in a statement it had seen a “jump in demand” as the Covid-19 outbreak has eased, which “after the most severe crisis in aviation is good news”. However, it said that “infrastructure has not fully recovered”, leading to “bottlenecks and staff shortages” in Europe, hitting airports, ground services, air traffic control and airlines. As a result Lufthansa said it had scrapped 900 German and European flights for July at its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. | AFP…

Paris: The Paris prosecutor’s office said yesterday that it had opened a preliminary inquiry into dozens of cases of salmonella poisoning in popular Kinder sweets during the key Easter holiday season. Chocolate products from the company’s factory in Belgium were found to contain salmonella bacteria, resulting in 150 cases in Europe. As of June 2, the Sante Publique France health agency counted 118 cases in France, of which 22 required hospital admission. Following a complaint by the Foodwatch group, prosecutors began a probe into suspected reckless endangerment by Ferrero, the Italian confectionery giant that owns Kinder, Paris prosecutors said. | AFP…

THE close season transfer window officially opens in England today with Premier League clubs again set to splash the cash while the futures of a selection of out-of-contract stars dominate headlines on the continent. Clubs in England will have a period of almost 12 weeks, until September 1, to strengthen their squads, although one of the biggest moves has already been announced, with Erling Haaland heading to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund. There will be the usual headlines of Premier League sides flexing their financial muscle, with a huge increase in income from overseas rights deals reportedly taking broadcast revenue for the three-year cycle to 2025 over £10 billion. With the financial rewards only getting greater, the chances are English clubs will again collectively splash more than £1bn on transfers,…

GONE are the days where Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates used to be dream clubs for most of the players in the land. Bongani Zungu’s interview on radio this week proved just that. Speaking on Sport Night Amplified with Andile Ncube on Tuesday, Zungu confirmed that Mamelodi Sundowns will always be his home, while his agent is in talks with the club about a potential return to the club next season. Zungu’s contract with French side Amiens ends this month and he’ll become a free agent. While he didn’t rule out a potential return to Amiens, where he’s also enjoying life beyond the football pitch, Zungu’s ideal move back to the local top flight would be at Chloorkop. And no one can fault Zungu for wanting that. Sundowns are the…

THE final round of the Currie Cup kicks off at 4pm in Stellenbosch this afternoon where Western Province will do the Sharks no favours in their desperate attempt to qualify for the semi-finals. The fifth-placed Sharks have to win and win extremely well if they are to leap-frog the Pumas, who have a point in hand on the log and host Griquas in Nelspruit. The Sharks have to win with a bonus point and also score as many points as possible to boost their points differential, and even then it might not be enough, and if the Pumas beat Griquas with a bonus point it doesn’t matter what the Sharks do in Stellenbosch. Province meanwhile will be fired up to end their disappointing campaign on a high after winning…

MOTUS Holdings’ share price shot up 2.87 percent yesterday after it said attributable profit from its motor dealer and rental operations was likely to increase between 45 and 55 percent in the year to June 30, to R3.04 billion. Headline earnings were anticipated to be 1 770 cents to 1 179c a share, an increase of 50 to 60 percent compared with the 2021 financial year. The share price closed at R112.43 on the JSE yesterday, with the price up 17.5 percent over 12 months. The import and distribution division’s revenue was increasing due to improving sales to dealers, sales to car rental companies and higher selling prices, the group said in update. The annual results are expected to be published on August…

THE COURT has delivered a groundbreaking judgment which opens the door for foreigners working in South Africa who have children born on local soil. Previously, they had to leave the country after breaking up with their spouses. In terms of sections of the Immigration Act, foreigners’ spouse visas terminated once their relationship with their South African spouses ended. This meant that they either had to leave the country, even if it meant leaving their children behind, or they had to reapply for a visa to remain in the country. However, they could only do so from outside the country. Various applicants, who come from countries such as France, Switzerland, Germany and Zimbabwe, turned to the Western Cape High Court to have the relevant sections of the act declared unconstitutional. They…

Some subsidised bus contracts have been extended on a month-to-month basis for 19 years now as the government grapples to implement a permanent funding model for public transport. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has revealed that lapsed contracts between the government and companies, including Putco, cannot be cut yet. He was replying to written questions posed in Parliament by EFF MP Nontando Nolutshungu. They were extended on a short-term basis for fear of a “total collapse”, as Mbalula put it, of bus services in parts of the country. The private bus companies were subsidised to keep ticket fares affordable to commuters. “The continued extension of subsidised bus contracts is simply to ensure that there is no total collapse of services in the country whilst the government is in the process of…

The UN atomic energy watchdog said yesterday that Iran was removing 27 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities, warning this could be a “fatal blow” to negotiations to revive a landmark deal. Talks began in April last year to bring the US back to the 2015 accord, lifting sanctions, and Iran back into compliance, limiting its nuclear activities. But negotiations have stalled since March, and raising tensions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) members on Wednesday passed a resolution censuring Iran over its lack of co-operation with the watchdog. Iran has condemned the motion as “unconstructive”, announcing this week that it had disconnected some IAEA cameras monitoring its nuclear sites. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation stressed that the cameras it had disconnected were not part of its safeguard agreement with the UN…

FossiliSed bones discovered on a rocky seashore on England’s Isle of Wight are the remains of a meat-eating dinosaur that may be larger than any other known from Europe, a beast that was a cousin of the biggest carnivorous dinosaur species on record. Palaeontologists said yesterday they have found parts of the skeleton of the dinosaur, which lived about 125 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, including bones of the back, hips and tail, some limb fragments but no skull or teeth. Based on the partial remains, they estimated that the dinosaur exceeded 10m in length and perhaps reached much more. Based in part on a series of small grooves on the top of the tail vertebra, they concluded that it belonged to a group of dinosaurs called spinosaurs…

LONDON: Britain’s government sent Queen Elizabeth a specially commissioned musical box to mark her platinum jubilee, depicting on its lid the black front door of the prime minister’s Number 10 Downing Street office. The monarch, 96, celebrated 70 years on the British throne with an extended public holiday and a series of events that culminated last weekend in an appearance on the balcony of her palace after a colourful and eccentric pageant in London. The government marked the occasion with a gift – a platinum mounted, enamel-on-copper musical box also featured portraits of the 14 British prime ministers she has met during her reign. When opens, it plays Handel’s Hallelujah. On the inside lid, an inscription includes the names of the cabinet. Meanwhile, the queen will miss the Commonwealth Games…

BANGKOK: Thailand legalised the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks yesterday, the first Asian country to do so, with the aim of boosting its agriculture and tourism sectors, but smoking “pot” is still against the law. Thailand, which has a tradition of using cannabis to relieve pain, legalised medicinal marijuana in 2018. But authorities aim to head off an explosion of recreational use by limiting the strength of the products on offer. The possession and sale of cannabis extracts containing more than 0.2% of the plant’s psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol is not allowed. Those who break the law can still face jail and fines. | Reuters…