Sunday Independent Sunday, December 20, 2020

CONSPIRACY Hoffman denies targeting Mkhwebane Public Protector says advocate’s letter to the president is part of a campaign to remove her MANYANE MANYANE manyane.manyane@inl.co.za THE man who laid criminal charges of perjury against Public Protector (PP) Busisiwe Mkhwebane and subsequently wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to suspend her, has denied that he is furthering a political agenda against her. Advocate Paul Hoffman, who has a history of laying complaints against Mkhwebane, has also poured cold water on suggestions that he implored the president to push out Mkhwebane as a pre-emptive strike aimed at paving the way for her removal by Parliament, which is scheduled to hold an inquiry into her fitness for office in the new year. This came as Mkhwebane confirmed on Friday that she would co-operate…

CRIME Lawmakers debate the death penalty EDWIN NAIDU SOUTH African lawmakers have no appetite to restore the death penalty, despite growing calls globally for the reinstatement of capital punishment, as a crime deterrent. According to joint Constitutional Review Committee Chairperson, Enock Mthethwa, this was not a straightforward matter, since no research had been conducted to prove that the death penalty was an effective deterrent that may curb crime rates. Mthethwa made the comment during a virtual meeting of the Review Committee comprised in the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces, which annually reviews the Constitution. The committee which met on November 27, 2020, was responding to a call from a member of the public Waseela Jardine, who asked the committee review section 11 of the Constitution in order to…

LAW Family of slain official sues ANC MANYANE MANYANE mayane.manyane@inl.co.za THE family of a slain local ANC leader who was killed at a branch general meeting (BGM) in Mpumalanga is suing the governing party for R55 million for alleged negligence and failing to provide security. In the court papers filed at the South Gauteng High Court on December 11, Prince Manzini’s family said the former branch secretary was assaulted to death at a tense party meeting in full view of his fellow ANC comrades in March this year. The violent BGM took place at Gutshwa, near Nsikazi in the Ehlanzeni region to elect delegates to the 13th provincial ANC conference which was scheduled for April this year. According to the family’s founding affidavit, chairs flew at the meeting when rival…

ESCAPE No charges for ex-Hawks top cop LOYISO SIDIMBA A FORMER Hawks boss appears to be off the hook after attempting to prevent the arrest of rape and human trafficking accused Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso and escorting him using police blue lights. Retired KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss Major-General Jabulani Zikhali was reported to Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Judge Frans Diale Kgomo by the team investigating Omotoso. Zikhali who apparently refers to Omotoso as “daddy”, is accused of placing a number of obstacles in the way, which initially prevented his arrest. Omotoso was eventually nabbed in April 2017 at the Port Elizabeth International Airport and remains behind bars despite Zikhali’s efforts. According to evidence submitted to Judge Kgomo, Zikhali is a member of the Omotoso’s Jesus Dominion International Church. Although…

FRAUD SABC buys bulletproof vests for R1.2m LOYISO SIDIMBA THE SABC spent nearly R1.2 million on 100 bulletproof vests for its journalists and Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has defended the purchase as necessary. Ndabeni-Abrahams was responding to parliamentary questions from IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe, who asked why the vests were deemed necessary equipment for the SABC staff. “The signed business case was received by supply chain management on the 9 March 2018. This is a date on which vests were deemed necessary equipment for staff in the SABC news division,” Ndabeni-Abrahams responded. She said the vests are to be distributed equitably to news offices and not assigned to individual reporters. The 100 vests were of various sizes and cost between R9 300 and R11 000…

ICYMI | IOL.CO.ZA SAFETY TIPS TO REMEMBER Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.PRINCESS DIANAPrincess of Wales Don’t use ATMs where the card slot, keypad or screen has been tampered with. It could be an attempt to attain your card. Always avoid and be wary of people trying to “help” you. Don’t use an ATM that appears unusual looking or offers options with which you are not familiar with. | See more on IOL…