South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 23 January

For everything related to the latest news in South Africa, be sure to check out our wrap of all major headlines on Thursday 23 January.

As promises of swift action against those responsible for the drowning death of Parktown Boys’ High School pupil, Enock Mpianzi, reach their conclusion at the hands of Gauteng Education ME, Panyaza Lesufi, questions surrounding the necessity of orientation camps raise red flags. At Eskom, new CEO Andre de Ruyter prepares for his first board meeting of 2020, following dire operational mishaps which cloaked the start of the new year in darkness. In sports news, former Proteas head coach, Ottis Gibson, makes his move to Bangladesh.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Thursday 23 January

‘Harsh consequences’ for Parktown Boys’ High

Gauteng Education MEC Lesufi has vowed to take appropriate action against Parktown Boys’ High School. This comes after 13-year-old Mpianzi drowned while on a school camp at Nyati Bush lodge near Brits in the North West. It’s alleged that both the school and the lodge displayed gross negligence by not supplying pupils with life vests and for failing to respond to immediate alarm.

The school has faced fierce criticism for only acting on Mpianzi’s disappearance a day after it was initially reported to facilitators.

Lesufi explained that preliminary investigations had revealed inconsistencies in the schools’ account of events. The MEC, who conducted a site visit at the lodge while search and rescue teams pulled Mpianzi’s lifeless body from the Crocodile river, has asserted that ‘heads would fall’ before the week is done.

Eskom: Crunch time for Andre de Ruyter

South Africa’s national power utility is in a woeful state; haemorrhaging public funds and failing to maintain its aging infrastructure while the ever-present threat of load shedding looms. Andre de Ruyter, who has refrained from the spotlight in his new role as CEO of Eskom, has been charged with turning things around and leading the controversial unbundling process, which will eventually see the utility split into three separate entities.

Today, de Ruyter will meet with the embattled Eskom board. High on the agenda is the drive to mitigate breakdowns which have crippled the utility’s generation capacity. This issue is intrinsically tied to Eskom’s poor maintenance program which is typified by crumbling infrastrure, from substations to power plants.

The importance of de Ruyter’s first board meeting cannot be understated and comes at a critical time. Eskom, which has been described as the single greatest threat to South Africa’s economic prospects, has been blamed for credit agencies’ negative outlook which could result in the country being downgraded.

The pressure on de Ruyter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, to present a feasible and urgent contingency plan aimed at stabilising the grid and keeping the gears of production moving, has never been as intense.

Tragedy in Limpopo as two learners killed during freak truck accident

Tragedy struck Lekgolo Primary School in Mamaila outside Elim in Limpopo on Wednesday afternoon, when a wall collapsed on pupils, resulting in two fatalities.

While two other students fight for their lives in critical condition, details of the disaster have begun to emerge. According to eyewitness accounts, a food delivery truck crashed into one of the school’s walls, which then collapsed on a group of young pupils.

On Wednesday evening, distraught community members descended on the school, demanding answers. Police officers were stationed at the scene to deter any form of unrest.

Limpopo Education MEC Polly Boshielo is expected to release a statement on the horrific event, today.

Fikile Mbalula guns for corrupt officials

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has told chairpersons and chief executives for transport public entities that lawlessness will not be tolerated.

Addressing the leaders on Wednesday during a meeting in Johannesburg, he said state-owned entities constitute an important vehicle in economic transformation, with the purpose of operationalising the broad socio-economic development plans of government.

“Your respective mandates are important in solving the unproductive parts of the economy, whilst reflecting the broad policy framework of government.

“This therefore means that none of you can afford to waste resources and be havens of corruption. We must address governance and financing challenges with single-minded determination and urgency,” the Minister said.

The Minister called on the leaders to ensure that they hire skilled professionals in order to achieve the set targets for the entities. (Source: SAnews)

‘Most wanted’ taxi hitman arrested in Durban suburb

An alleged hitman who was on the lam and wanted in connection with multiple taxi murders has been arrested in a Durban suburb, police said on Wednesday.

According to one of KwaZulu-Natal’s police spokespersons, colonel Thembeka Mbele, the “most wanted” 32-year-old suspect was found in possession of a 9mm pistol and 30 rounds of ammunition when he was apprehended in Berea.

“The suspect, who has been on the run from police, was wanted for theft of motor vehicles and for murder and robbery committed at Umhlali, Montclair, Msunduzi, Mpumalanga, Inchanga and Durban central. He is set to appear in court soon and is suspected to be linked to many taxi related incidents in the province.” (Source: ANA)

Former Proteas coach Ottis Gibson joins Bangladesh technical staff

Former South Africa head coach Ottis Gibson will tour Pakistan with the Bangladesh national team, after being appointed as part of the technical staff.

The Barbadian spent two years at the helm with the Proteas, before his contract was not renewed, following a dismal showing at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

He has been appointed as the Tigers’ pace-bowling coach and will work alongside ex-Proteas mentor Russell Domingo, as well as former Test batsman Neil MacKenzie, who is the team’s batting coach.

Gibson replaces another South African in Charl Langeveldt, who is back with the Proteas as bowling coach during the ongoing Test series against England.

Four junior Springboks named in SA Under-19 training squad

Four 2019 Junior Springbok World Rugby Under-20 Championship players and another 10 who travelled to Georgia with the SA Under-19 team in December were included in a 19-man squad invited to the first of four SA Rugby Academy alignment camps in Stellenbosch in February.

Celimpilo Gumede (flanker), Emile van Heerden (lock), Sibusiso Sangweni (looseforward) and Thabiso Mdletshe (prop) all participated in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina last year, while a number of their teammates made their presence felt in the South Africa Under-19 team’s successful tour to Georgia, where they won both matches against the hosts. (Source: ANA)

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