South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Wednesday 15 January

For all the latest news in South Africa, don’t miss our overview of all major headlines on Wednesday 15 January.

As Eskom’s incompetence continues to sow division amongst the African National Congress (ANC), former President Jacob Zuma successfully manages to dodge the State Capture Inquiry. In sports news, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi scoops yet another prestigious global sporting award.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Wednesday 15 January

State Capture Inquiry off to a shaky start

The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture got off to a shaky start in 2020, when Jacob Zuma’s legal team lambasted Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo for attempting to force the former president into the hotseat with the ‘threat of imprisonment’. The Commission backtracked on its earlier summons, saying that the decision to leak information to the media was ‘regrettable’.

Zuma, who’s legal team put up a fierce fight against the summons, managed to buy some time away from the State Capture Commission’s glare, citing ‘ill-health’ as a reason for postponement. Zondo granted the rearrangement.

This is the second time Zuma has evaded the hot seat due to ‘health concerns’. In 2019, the former president left the country, allegedly to Cuba, to receive medical treatment and, in doing so, defaulted on his promise to appear before Zondo in December.

Despite Zuma’s successful shirk, the Commission will hear Law Enforcement related testimony from Retired Colonel Johannes Van Loggerenberg today.

Disgraced former mayor Zandile Gumede back in court

Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede will appear in court today, charged with fraud, corruption and money laundering related to a sordid waste removal tender which allegedly robbed the city of R208 million

Gumede, who was officially ‘redeployed’ by the ANC in September 2019, stands accused alongside five other councillors, municipal officials and businesspeople.

In October, Gumede made headlines when the Hawks and the Asset Forfeiture Unit raided the former mayor’s home north of Durban. Other raids, ordered on the properties of Gumede’s co-accused, uncovered a fleet of luxury vehicles.

Gumede’s supporters, who argue that the former mayor was unjustly removed from power by the ANC, have vowed to protest outside the courtroom in a show of solidary and defiance.

Eskom’s cracks deepen the ANC divide

Pressure is mounting on the ANC, both from within the organisation and externally, to take decisive action against those responsible for Eskom’s operational meltdown. As the embattled power utility struggles to keep the lights on the ever-looming threat of load shedding persists, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has come into the crosshairs.

While Deputy President David Mabuza threw Gordhan under the bus during a live interview – asserting that the minister and the Eskom board had misled President Cyril Ramaphosa – opposition parties, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have redoubled their show of disdain. Although the ANC has publically rebuffed insinuations that the Eskom issue is causing a rift in the party, political analysts argue that president Ramaphosa has been forced into a tight political corner.

Firearms amnesty programme: More weapons surrendered

Police Minister Bheki Cele has urged gun owners to take advantage of government’s firearms amnesty programme and surrender unwanted weapons before May this year.

The Minister made the remarks at Linden police station in Johannesburg, where an arms dealer parted with 298 such weapons.

Cele said since the amnesty began in December 2019, a total of 2 266 firearms have been surrendered to police stations across the country. Gauteng province leads the pack with 527 firearms surrendered to date. Hot on its heels is the Western Cape with 514, KwaZulu-Natal (309) and Limpopo (252). The Eastern Cape (189) Mpumalanga (173), Free State (163) Northern Cape (48) and the North West (91) follow in descending order.

A total of 31 382 rounds of ammunition is now in police hands.

“To say that the firearm amnesty period has kicked off on a good note would be an understatement. These numbers keep on growing daily,” Cele said.

This, he said, is a clear indication that South Africans are heeding the call to take part in the amnesty and get illegal and unwanted firearms off the streets. (Source: SAnews)

Junior Springboks’ draw alongside England in Under-20 Championship

he Junior Springboks will face England, Fiji and hosts, Italy, in Pool C of the 2020 World Rugby Under-20 Championship, which will be hosted across four Italian cities – Verona, Viadana, Calvisano and Parma – from June 28 to July 18.

Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux’s charges will have the honour of kicking off the international showpiece against Italy at Verona’s brand new Payanini Center on June 28, and they will remain in the city for their second pool match against Fiji on July 3, before wrapping up the league stages against England at Stadio Sergio Zaffanella in Viadana.

The semifinals – which will feature the three pool winners and the next best-placed team among the 12 participants – will be hosted at the Peroni Stadium in Calvisano on July 13, while the final will play out in Parma on July 18. (Source: ANA)

Siya Kolisi scoops another major international accolade

Accolades keep pouring in for Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who was honoured by the Rugby Union Writers’ Club (RUWC) on Tuesday morning.

The Zwide-born flanker had a remarkable year in 2019, leading the men in green and gold to the Rugby World Cup title in Japan in November.

Having collected both team and individual awards following the triumph, he was named as the recipient of the Pat Marshall Award, voted by the members of the United Kingdom-based RUWC.

Kolisi beat teammate, Faf de Klerk and coach Rassie Erasmus in winning the accolade, as well as Japan captain Michael Leitch and his Welsh counterpart Alun Wyn Jones.

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