South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Tuesday 31 December

For all the latest news in South Africa be sure to review our daily wrap of headlines on Tuesday 31 December.

The last day of 2019 has arrived and as South Africans reflect on the year that’s been – preparing for 2020 and a new decade ahead – we’ll be reviewing the country’s greatest wins and losses. As New Year’s Eve celebrations begin in earnest, law enforcement agencies are redoubling efforts to ensure a safe passage into 2020. In sports news, the triumphant Proteas put in their final preparations ahead of their next encounter with England at Newlands.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Tuesday 31 December

The end of 2019 and a turbulent decade

It’s been a rollercoaster year and decade for South Africa, exemplified by disastrous low points and exhilarating highs. We’ll be reflecting on some of the nation’s most important moments of 2019 – covering everything from politics to sport and all that’s in between.

While South Africans have been embattled by bad news, momentous sporting achievements have managed to unify a nation in hope and possibility. We take a look at the nation’s greatest sporting achievements and our outstanding sportsperson of the year.

We also look at the lighter side of South African life – reviewing infamous bloopers and the feistiest celebrity feuds.

Eskom exits 2019 in the light

It’s been an especially disastrous year for South Africa’s embattled power supplier. Eskom, through dire maintenance programs, corruption and mismanagement has left South Africa reeling in darkness by way of load shedding. As new CEO Andre de Ruyter continues his inspections of problematic power stations, Eskom has promised to ‘keep the lights on’ into the New Year. Eskom said:

“There is no load shedding expected today, as a result of a drop in demand during the holiday period and a return of some generating units to service,” said the power utility.

In a statement, Eskom continued to ask customers to reduce electricity demand as a concerted collective effort can help to avoid or lessen the level of load shedding.

In addition the power utility will continue to use emergency reserves to supplement capacity if necessary while also reminding customers that as the system continues to be vulnerable and unpredictable.

Cops crack down on bribery and corruption

Two Tshwane Metro police officers are due to appear in court today after they were arrested near the Fountains Circle for allegedly extorting bribes from motorists.

The two 33-year-old officers were arrested by the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit and the Hawks on Sunday and detained at Pretoria central police station.

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said this brings the number of people arrested for bribery and corruption since the start of the festive season Arrive Alive campaign on 1 December 2019 to nine.

A truck owner and his driver were arrested in Durban last week after they allegedly attempted to convince traffic officers to accept a bribe and not prosecute them for displaying a fraudulent vehicle license disc.

A driver and two illegal immigrants were arrested in the Western Cape between Touwsriver and Laingsburg for offering a R300 bribe to a traffic officer.

Another driver was detained for offering a bribe to a traffic officer to avoid prosecution for driving a public transport vehicle without a professional driver’s permit, failure to display a valid operating permit and overloading. The RTMC said:

“Bribery and corruption is a major issue on national roads and contributes to lawlessness that leads to fatal crashes. Anti- corruption agents have been deployed on the roads to deal with this scourge.” (Source: SAnews)

Cape Town officials confiscate thousands of litres of alcohol

Cape Town’s law enforcement liquor unit has seized almost 7,500 bottles of alcohol since the start of December, the city’s mayoral committee member for security, JP Smith, said on Monday.

“Between 1 and 27 December 2019, the Liquor enforcement unit has booked in 7,428 bottles of alcohol, amounting to 4 127,93 litres,” Smith said.

He said the city’s by-laws provided for a R500 fine and confiscation of any alcohol consumed on beaches and in other public places.

Those caught in breach of the by-law, can reclaim the impounded liquor after paying the fine and a R650 release fee. (Source: ANA)

Boucher indicates Malan will debut at Newlands, Bavuma return unlikely

Proteas Team Director Mark Boucher has intimated that his preference for a replacement for Aiden Markram in the Test XI is Pieter Malan.

Markram was injured during the first Test, taking an awkward knock to his finger during a fielding drill, and will miss the remainder of the series as he undergoes surgery to repair his hand. That leaves Boucher and skipper Faf du Plessis to decide who will replace Markram in partnership with Dean Elgar at the top of the order.

Keegan Petersen has been called into the squad as batting but after the first Test at Centurion Boucher indicated that specialist opener Malan was in line to debut at his home ground, Newlands.

Latest weather forecast, Tuesday 31 December

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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 31 December.