South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 22 October

Stay informed and up to date with all the latest news in South Africa; see what’s making headlines on Thursday 22 October.

While central South Africa attempts to recover from devastating veld fires which destroyed over 1 000 hectares of land, killing livestock and maiming farmworkers, another severe environmental disaster continues to unfold in Durban, where clean-up crews struggle to contain an oil spill in the Umbilo River. In sports news, the Lions have been dealt a setback ahead of their upcoming Super Rugby Unlocked fixture with four players side-lined due to positive COVID-19 tests.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER

Free State fires ‘under control’, farmers assess destruction of land and livestock

The runaway veld fire, which burnt for more than 72-hours and destroyed thousands of hectares of land in the vicinity of Hertzogville, Hoopstad, Bultfontein and Dealesville in the Free State, has finally been brought under control. While fire fighting services and farming communities remain on high alert for flare-ups, immediate attention has turned to assessing the damage caused to infrastructure and livestock.

On Wednesday afternoon, Parliament’s Agriculture Committee called on government to declare parts of the Free State and Northern Cape as disaster zones. This call, which would divert much-needed resources to the embattled area, has been supported by Free State Umbrella Fire Project’s Johan Breytenbach and other agricultural organisations.

The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, is expected to respond to the calls today.

Committee Chair Zwelivelile Mandela commented on the progress of investigations into the cause of the fire, adding that he hoped arson would be ruled out as the destructive inferno’s origin.

Early reports indicate that the fire was started during service delivery protests in Tokologo Municipality. Eleven protesters were arrested for public violence and malicious damage to property on Sunday.

Tewie Nel, a 25-year-old farmer who helped battle the blaze in Hertzogville, sustained third degree burns and was rushed to Life Rosepark Hospital in Bloemfontein where he is currently fighting for his life in critical condition.

Agri Hertzogville chairperson Gys Olivier said that over 1 000 hectares of land had been damaged, with livestock, homestead, game and infrastructure destroyed by the blaze.

Umbilo River oil spill reaches Durban harbour, government blames ‘criminal syndicate’

Thousands of litres of crude oil, which spilled into the Umbilo River near Bellair in the early hours of Wednesday morning, have reached the ocean at the Bayhead side of Durban Harbour. The environmental catastrophe, which is expected to decimate the vital river ecosystem and impact nearby communities, has been blamed on a ‘criminal syndicate’.

The Department of Environmental Affairs, which has ordered an urgent criminal investigation into the cause of the spill, suspects that thieves may have targeted a Transnet pipeline. Clean-up crews, scattered along the stretch of river between Bellair and Durban harbour, have been working tirelessly to contain the spread of the disaster.

MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, who conducted a site visit to the area on Wednesday afternoon, said that all spheres of government would be working together to mitigate the crude fallout. Despite emergency responders placing barriers in the river — and near to the harbour — the black sludge breached the Bayhead area on Wednesday evening, raising serious concern about the damage to marine life.

In addition to the environmental devastation, community activists say that the spill is likely to impact a nearby special needs school and a local hospital.

National Treasury faces backlash over Munusamy appointment

The decision to appoint journalist Ranjeni Munusamy to serve as the Ministry of Finance’s community outreach officer has divided both public and political opinion. Munusamy was implicated in corruption by senior Hawks officer Kobus Roelofse before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in 2019.

Munusamy has been accused of ‘brown envelope journalism’, defined as the act of accepting bribes from politicians to avoid certain contentious topics to the benefit of those suspected of wrongdoing. Munusamy, who, in 2007, managed a publication called ‘Friends of Jacob Zuma’, in defence of the former president, denied receiving kickbacks and subsequently applied to cross-examine Roelofse before the Commission. Munusamy later withdrew her application.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have demanded that Finance Minister Tito Mboweni reverse Munusamy’s appointment within seven days. The Red Berets labelled the appointment “irresponsible, reckless, dangerous and outright irrational”.

National Treasury has defended Munusamy’s appointment, while Minister Mboweni has remained mum amid the fierce backlash.

Parliamentary debate pokes holes in Ramaphosa’s Economic Recovery Plan

Leaders of opposition parties didn’t mince their words when entering the debate on South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan which was held during a hybrid sitting of Parliament on Tuesday. A week after the president presented his Economic Recovery Plan — which focuses extensively on job creation through public works programmes and a harsher crackdown on corruption — opposition parties have raised serious concerns about the feasibility of Ramaphosa’s ‘renewal’.

The EFF, led in Parliament by Deputy Floyd Shivambu, slammed Ramaphosa’s plan for pandering to the ‘white capitalist establishment’ and added that the current government, by way of its track record, had no intention or ability to create jobs. Shivambu said:

“Because the people of South Africa are not fools, they know that even the promised 800 000 jobs will not be created in the same way the 275 000 jobs per year he promised in the 2018 so called investment summit were not created.

The 800 000 jobs will not be created in the same way the 2 million jobs he promised young people in the 2019 SONA were never ever going to be created.

The 800 000 jobs are not going to be created in the same way the 121 000 jobs he said will happen in the textile sector were never going to happen.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA), led by John Steenhuisen, also picked Ramaphosa’s proposal apart, drawing attention to rampant corruption within the ruling party. Steenhuisen also pointed out glaring contradictions within the Economic Recovery Plan, namely, that the President aims to reduce the public wage bill but has associated a mass employment drive with the public sector. Steenhuisen said:

“Staying with jobs, the promised 800 000 job opportunities in the public sector is not the solution we need either, and particularly not when the same plan speaks of cutting the public sector wage bill. Even for a letter to Santa, that makes no sense.

Meaningful, permanent jobs can only be created by the private sector, and that is where all our focus should lie.”

Steenhuisen called for Ramaphosa to table progressive economic reforms before Parliament which would gain the support of the DA, adding:

“On your own, you don’t have much of a hand to play, which is why you will be forever locked in this stalemate.”

COVID-19: Warning signs of a ‘second wave’ in the Western Cape

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has noted, with serious concern, a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections in the Western Cape, warning of a dreaded ‘second wave’ which could see the return of harsher lockdown restrictions. Mkhize added that the recent increases warranted a detailed report by local government structures, explaining:

“The Province recorded a 42% increase in new infections. According to our resurgence plan, we define this significant spike in new cases in the Western Cape as a resurgence.

The Western Cape Provincial Health Department has identified specific clusters that are responsible for the increase in cases, and has advised that each of these clusters has been investigated and a detailed outbreak response is being mounted.”

Mkhize elaborated on a ‘super-spreader’ event which has been associated with a bar in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs. Last week, it was reported that 89 confirmed COVID-19 cases had been traced back to an event held at Tin Roof nightclub in Claremont in the beginning of the month.

While the nightclub owner has vehemently denied that his venue was responsible for the infections, Provincial Premier Alan Winde has called for an urgent investigation into bar, seeking further assistance from the Western Cape Liquor Authority.

Both Mkhize and his wife confirmed their positive COVID-19 statuses on Sunday night. The minister noted that he had undergone a test after “feeling abnormally exhausted” and “losing appetite”

Super Rugby Unlocked: Lions setback as four players test positive for COVID-19

The Lions won’t be at their strongest when they face Super Rugby Unlocked log-leaders, the Cheetahs, this weekend. This comes after the Jo’burg-based team revealed that four players had tested positive for COVID-19 and had been withdrawn from the squad. Management issued brief a statement on Wednesday morning, saying:

“Four Emirates Lions players have tested positive for COVID-19. The team gets tested every week. These players have been removed from the squad. All protocols have been kept and the relevant parties have been informed. The team is preparing for the Toyota Cheetahs.”

The latest setback comes at a critical time for the Lions, who have yet to record a win in the Super Rugby Unlocked tournament and sit uneasily at second-last position on the log, only just ahead of the Griquas on point’s difference alone.

Victor Mpitsang named as new National Convenor of Selectors

Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced Victor Mpitsang has been appointed as the new National Convenor of Selectors on 21 October.

According to CSA, the position is a full-time appointment and will commence on 2 November 2020.

Mpitsang has held a number of positions across the national and domestic professional structures and age-group cricket and replaces former convenor Linda Zondi.

The 40-year-old began his post-play career with a position as scout for the schools cricket programme in search of the next few generations of South Africa under-19s. 

Mpitsang then moved on to become the bowling consultant for the Proteas women.

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

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