South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Friday 23 July 2021

Keep up to date with the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa on Friday 23 July 2021.

If the past week has left you cold, you’re not the only one. Millions of South Africans across the country have felt the biting chill of winter making its presence felt, from Gauteng all the way to Kimberley in the Northern Cape, where it snowed on Thursday 22 July. The good news is that the cold should ease slightly over the weekend, but no need to bring out the summer clothes anytime soon.

In more chilling news, something weird happened at Transnet yesterday. It appears their systems were hacked, leading to staff being told to log off the system and not access their emails. The hack also meant that Transnet’s port terminals in Durban had to shut down, creating a further backlog of trucks at the port. Who was behind this hack, and what was their motive, we don’t know as yet. Who has the most to gain from shutting down essential and critical services in KZN, we wonder?

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Friday 23 July

Transnet ‘hacked’, Port’s container terminals shut down

Transnet Ltd SOC ‘Transnet’ has reportedly been hacked and this has led to some of the port’s container terminals being shut down. Sources have confirmed to the media that the attack occurred early on Thursday, 22 July.

The key ports of Durban and Richards Bay had just started to return to normal, as had the critical rail line between Durban and Gauteng, after disruption from riots and looting.

In a statement, Transnet said it is currently experiencing a disruption in some of its IT applications, and is still trying to identify the source of the problem.

“All business continuity plans have been activated. Operations across the Group are continuing, with the Freight Rail, Pipelines, Engineering and Property divisions reporting normal activity.

“Port terminals are operational across the system, with the exception of container terminals, as the NAVIS system on the trucking side has been affected. In the Eastern Cape, terminal operations have been halted due to inclement weather conditions, and will continue manually once it is safe to do so.”

WATCH: It’s official folks, it’s SNOWING in Kimberley, Northern Cape

Wow, wow, wow Mzansi! We were aware of a cold front approaching SA but we weren’t really expecting the coldest day of the year and for it to snow large bits in Kimberley in the Northern Cape.

A video was shared on Twitter of a person driving through Kimberley and snow literally falling from the sky onto the road ahead – a pretty amazing picture if you ask us. Former Sports Journalist Eben Jansen also posted a video on Thursday saying that he’s back in Kimberley and it’s snowing. 

“It’s bloody cold here by me, I’m standing with a cup of green tea and the snow is kinda hitting me outside the place here,” he said. 

Correctional Services accused of giving Jacob Zuma ‘special treatment’

The DA has launched a scathing attack against the Department of Correctional Services, accusing them of giving Jacob Zuma ‘favourable treatment’ by letting him attend a funeral on Thursday.

Zuma lost his younger brother Michael to a long-term illness earlier this month. The former president applied for compassionate leave to go to the memorial, and sure enough, DCS granted him compassionate leave. The 79-year-old left his prison cell in Estcourt, KZN today – and was even allowed to visit his family at home in Nkandla.

The Justice Ministry says Jacob Zuma is a low-risk, short-term inmate. But although they are adamant JZ poses no threat to security, the shadow minister of Correctional Services has an entirely different view. James Selfe has lambasted his opposite numbers, saying that the temporary release of Msholozi ‘may only lead to more unrest’.

Four DANGEROUS prisoners escaped from a police vehicle in Polokwane

Four DANGEROUS prisoners have escaped from a police vehicle in Polokwane on Wednesday. They are armed.

The public is warned not to approach the four men as they are considered TO BE VERY dangerous and should instead contact their local police station.

Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, the escaped prisoners, also managed to grab the service pistol belonging to a police member during the incident before they fled.

Mojapelo said police had launched a manhunt.

“Seven prisoners were being transported from Polokwane Correctional Centre to Mokopane for sentencing when four of them allegedly escaped. The other three prisoners remained in the vehicle.”

WATCH: BBC journalist GRILLS Fikile Mbalula on ‘insurrection’ claims

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula might be feeling a bit regretful after he conducted a television interview with the BBC just recently. Mbalula was a guest on the news channel’s current affairs programme HARDTalk and the results are… let’s just say cringe worthy.

The interview focused on the latest developments in the country, including the aftermath of the recent riots, the Phoenix deaths and Cape Town taxi violence. The host of the programme, Stephen Sackur did not hold back and grilled the minister – particularly on the contradictory messages coming from government. TheSouthAfrican was in consultation with the BBC ahead of this interview, providing context about the situation to the UK-based broadcaster.

Woman dragged under car and dismembered as driver flees from hijackers

A woman from Ekhurleni was killed when she was dragged under a friend’s car, and her body was dismembered in the process.

Police spokesperson, Captain Mavela Masondo said the driver was fleeing from hijackers who had also fired shots at them when the woman tried to jump out of the moving car.

He said the group of friends were in an area called Chief Luthuli Park, near Daveyton, on Saturday evening.

Two women were seated in the back of the car while the deceased woman was in the front with the driver.

Masondo said while in the car, hijackers approached them.

“Gunshots were fired. The woman with the child at the back of the car managed to jump out and flee. The woman in the passenger seat in the front also jumped out of the car.”

Masondo said the 27-year-old woman was unfortunately trapped by the safety belt that she had not removed properly.

“She fell and landed underneath the car.”

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Friday 23 JULY

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Friday 23 July.