South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Tuesday 24 December

Never miss a beat when it comes to the latest news in South Africa, stay up to date with all major headlines on Tuesday 24 December.

As Christmas approaches traffic volumes continue to increase, with government urging motorists to exercises caution when travelling to their destinations. The Department of Transport has released its mid-festive season road safety report which shows a, annual decrease in fatalities and crashes, yet the deadliest period – between Christmas and the first week of January – still looms.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Tuesday 24 December

Festive season fatalities decrease

Fatalities on South African roads during the festive season so far have decreased compared to statistics from the same period in 2018. This was announced by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, who presented the mid-festive season road safety report at the Beitbridge border post in Limpopo on Monday.

Mbalula noted that while deaths on the country’s roads have decreased by 25%, the number of motorists arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol remains serious cause for concern. The Transport Minister revealed that 629 661 vehicles were stopped in 539 roadblocks staged nationwide, with 1 397 motorists being arrested for drunk driving.

Mbalula urged motorists to be cautious in the coming weeks as traffic volumes were expected to increase dramatically. The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing the rule of law on South Africa’s roads and promised to redouble the use of roadblocks and spot searches.

Border posts ready for the Christmas rush

Multi-departmental efforts to ensure safety and security at South Africa’s various border posts are proving to be successful. This was confirmed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi during a site visit to Kopfontein, between South Africa and Botswana.

Motsoaledi announced that the South African Police Service, in conjunction with SARS and Home Affairs officials, were especially focused on ensuring safe conditions at the border.

The minister confirmed that Kopfontein Border post, in the North West province, was one of the six ports of entry earmarked for infrastructure redevelopment.

AbaThembu king welcomed back home after four-year prison stint

AbaThembu king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo has been welcomed home to the Bumbane Great Place in the Eastern Cape after serving four years in prison for kidnapping, assault, arson, defeating the ends of justice and culpable homicide.

Dalindyebo, who was released on Sunday night, was one of the high-profile convicts who received a remission of sentence at the order of President Cyril Ramaphosa. The AbaThembu king was initially handed a 15 year sentence.

Royal family spokesperson Daludumo Mtirara said:

“We wish to commend the honourable minister of justice and correctional services, advocate Ronald Lamola, and the department of correctional services for the release of his majesty king Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.

The mountains of Mantentente in Bumbane, Mthatha, will once again echo a welcoming message to the house of Jongihlanga and the descendants of the AbaThembu nation.”

No load shedding, despite ‘constrained system’

Despite a constrained electrical system and multiple infrastructure setbacks, particularly with regards to substations in Mpumalanga, Eskom hopes to keep the lights burning on Christmas day and well into the New Year.

This is in accordance with the president’s promises, whereby South Africans were guaranteed an empowered Christmas period of particularly dire bout of load shedding which embattled to country earlier in December.

Latest weather forecast, Tuesday 24 December

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

Live traffic updates for Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban

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Horoscope today

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip and lucky numbers for Tuesday 24 December.