South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Wednesday 20 January

We’re halfway through the second to last week of January and there’s plenty to keep your eye on as vaccine procurement continues to demand answers and Julius Malema gets reported to parliament over his comments on immigration. We’ve got all the latest news in South Africa neatly packaged for you right here

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Wednesday 20 January   

Julius Malema reported to Parliament for ‘encouraging illegal acts’  

After former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba lobbied Speaker Thandi Modise to take action against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Tuesday, with the Action SA leader says that his EFF counterpart is now acting ‘like a Constitutional delinquent’ after his comments on immigration, we can expect plenty of fireworks in the coming days.

Malema said during a press conference this week that South Africa’s borders should be opened to welcome our neighbours from the north.

“Let the borders be open and if the gates are not going to be open for SADC, fellow SADC people please find a creative way, this is your home, your families are here,” Malema said. “There is no way anyone is going to close you out here.”

This one is worth keeping an eye on.

Wouter Basson, apartheid’s ‘Dr. Death’, revealed to be working at a Mediclinic

Mediclinic has responded to fierce criticism online, after one of the most notorious figures of the apartheid regime was found to be working in a Western Cape facility. Wouter Basson, ominously dubbed ‘Dr. Death’ by the media during the 1990s, was tasked with researching biological weapons and the effects of chemical warfare.

Social media was abuzz with scrutiny over the healthcare giant’s decision to employ the renowned apartheid figure, and we can expect further reaction to the revelations throughout the week.

Farm attack horror: 77-year-old beaten, tortured, and ‘left to drown’ in sewage

After an elderly foreman based at a plot in Zastron, Free State was subjected to a horrific farm attack over the past weekend, several political parties have called for more stringent measures to be intorduced to protect South Africa’s farming communities.

FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald indicated that he will raise the issue again in Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police and will take it up with the National Police Commissioner, Lt.-Gen. Khehla Sithole as well, after condemning the incident and slating existing rural security plans implemented by government.

“It appears as if the police service’s national rural safety plan, which was supposed to have been implemented by 31 August last year but was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is no longer considered a priority,” he said.

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs continue winning streak against TTM

Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs continued on their winning ways with victory over Tsakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday with goals from Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Lebogang Manyama, with defender Happy Mashiane rounding off the 3-0 win late on.

With their victory, Chiefs moved up to seventh in the overall standings, albeit having played one more match than the majority of the other teams in the league. TTM, meanwhile appear to have a real battle on their hands to avoid relegation. They are in 15th place in the log with just TS Galaxy below them.

Kaizer Chiefs will look to make it FOUR wins in a row when they travel to the Danie Craven Stadium to play Stellenbosch FC in their next DStv Premiership clash on Saturday, 23 January.

COVID-19 latest

The latest news in South Africa’s COVID-19 battle will be covered all day, with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announcing the latest COVID-19 figures on Tuesday 19 January. Mkhize said that across the country, cases have increased by 9 780 in the last 24-hours, meaning that the total number of infections that have been accumulatively reported since March 2020 have risen to 1 356 716. 

Sadly, over the last 24-hours alone, a further 839 people have died from COVID-19, meaning that a total of 38 288 people have succumbed to the virus since the first death in March 2020. 

He also reported that there have been 1 144 857 recoveries, bringing the recovery rate to 84%.

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