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The secret vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma takes place in the National Assembly of Parliament.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officially handed over the list of 830 elective representatives headed to Parliament to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in a handover ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on Wednesday.
SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures
This comes after South Africa held its sixth “free, fair and peaceful” national and provincial elections on May 8. The ANC emerged victorious with over 10 million votes and 230 seats.
News24 found a few controversial names on the list that will be heading to the National Assembly:
1. Nomvula Mokonyane
The Minister of Environmental Affairs has recently been embroiled in the Bosasa corruption scandal unfolding at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi alleged Mokonyane received R50 000 a month in cash from the company.
This was allegedly due to her powerful position in government. She is number 10 on the ANC list and will be heading to the National Assembly.
READ: How the ANC plans to block ‘rotten apples’ from Parliament, Cabinet positions
2. Bathabile Dlamini
The Minister of Women in the Presidency was rocked by a few scandals in her term as as Social Development Minister, which resulted in several calls for her to be axed.
Her biggest failure to date is the social grant crisis, when she failed to take action when an arrangement with Cash Payment Services (CPS) to deliver social grants to the poor had expired.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was quoted as saying that “there was no explanation for the incompetence displayed by her and Sassa”.
Dlamini is number 14 on the ANC list. The ANCWL which she is president of, hopes that some of its leaders, including Dlamini, is appointed in “strategic positions”, News24 earlier reported.
READ: ANC reveals top 100 candidates on parliamentary list: Van Rooyen and Nhleko out
3. Malusi Gigaba
Gigaba made headlines for his association with the controversial Gupta family whose corrupt activities precipitated the coining of the term “State Capture”.
The former Home Affairs Minister was singled out in an interim report regarding the naturalisation status of the Gupta family who benefited from many business deals with state-owned entities.
Gigaba recently came under fire after the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court upheld an earlier finding that he lied to the High Court in the Fireblade saga. This was then followed by a leaked video showing him in a sex act.
The man who has been referred to as a “Gupta stooge” is number 23 on the list.
ALSO READ: Gigaba fights to clear Gupta association
4. Faith Muthambi
The former Minister of Communications during Jacob Zuma’s term as President was described as someone “who wanted to steal at all costs” by Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) CEO, Phumla Williams at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture last September.
Williams was shedding a light on among other things, how R55m was paid to the Gupta-owned newspaper The New Age (TNA) through the SABC/TNA breakfasts.
News24 earlier reported that a report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) also found that Muthambi flouted several public service regulations by making irregular appointments and ordering salary hikes for officials, among other transgressions, while she was Minister of Public Service and Administration in March, last year.
Muthambi, a staunch Zuma supporter who attends his court appearances following her axing as a minister, is number 79 on the ANC list and will be heading to the National Assembly.
READ: How the ANC plans to block ‘rotten apples’ from Parliament, Cabinet positions
5. Mosebenzi Zwane
Zwane, who served under Zuma as Minister of Mineral Resources, has also been linked to the Guptas who allegedly facilitated his appointment to the post, according to the now infamous leaked Gupta emails.
The Zondo Commission also heard how Zwane summoned banks to a “fake meeting” in a bid to convince them to save Gupta-linked accounts which they had decided to close.
The four major banks closed the accounts in 2016 due to over 70 listed “suspicious transactions” totalling almost R7 billion, which were recorded by the Financial Intelligence Centre, News24 earlier reported.
Zwane will also be heading to the National Assembly. He is at number 75 on the ANC list.
Find everything you need to know about the 2019 National and Provincial Government Elections at our News24 Elections site, including the latest news and detailed, interactive maps for how South Africa has voted over the past 3 elections. Make sure your News24 app is updated to access all our elections coverage in one place.
Cash-in-transit (CIT) company SBV, is offering an up to R1m reward for information that could lead to the arrest of a gang of robbers who targeted one of its trucks in Pretoria on Tuesday, and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
In statement on Wednesday, it confirmed that a four-man team was servicing a Standard Bank branch in Laudium, when it was attacked by an unknown number of suspects.
“Two security officers sustained minor injuries during the attack and are currently being treated. SBV’s Risk and Compliance team is working closely with the SAPS to investigate the attack. Details of the attack are still unknown and cannot be disclosed while the investigation is underway.
“SBV Services is offering up to R1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects involved in yesterday’s cash-in-transit heist in Laudium, Pretoria,” said the company.
WATCH: Tshwane cash heist: Gunmen flee with undisclosed amount of cash
Group CEO, Mark Barrett said: “As a responsible corporate citizen, SBV thoroughly investigates all incidents. SBV does not tolerate any violence, crime and threats to our human lives. We will tirelessly persist in our efforts to mitigate CIT crime and together with the authorities and the CIT industry, we will ensure that the perpetrators involved in CIT attacks are brought to justice.”
He added that SBV’s employees are trained to follow standard operating procedures, to avoid attacks and to ensure the safety of civilians.
“We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to investigate this attack. Once the details are known and confirmed, action will be taken where required,” said Barrett.
The company appealed to the public with any information on the attack or any other cash-in-transit heists to notify the police.
Brenden Nel – SuperSport.com
Pretoria – Bulls coach Pote Human has called on his charges to “pitch up mentally” ahead of their Super Rugby tour opener against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday.
Human laid it on the line that the Bulls were nowhere near where they needed to be mentally for the Crusaders game and it showed in the 45-13 scoreline, a mauling the team could not afford.
But this week the opportunity to break away and bond on tour, and get away from the pressures of home games he believes will allow his side to focus more on the job at hand.
“It’s difficult, but we had to have a hard look at ourselves son Monday and we went through clips and had a hard chat to everyone involved,” Human said from Melbourne.
“We definitely can’t play like that again. We weren’t good and our defence wasn’t good. We gave soft tries away and need to be more positive. We have to play more rugby and keep the ball in our hands.
“We have to score tries if we want to stay in this competition.”
Human hasn’t rung the changes after the Crusaders game, opting to keep the faith in the majority of the team that went down at Loftus Versfeld last weekend. To that end he has brought in Tier Schoeman at flank for Marco van Staden while Warrick Gelant returns to the side from his bout of tonsillitis that kept him from the last game.
Hanro Liebenberg’s return means that Jannes Kirsten will return to the bench with the former joining the loose trio.
“The Rebels are a very good side and can score from anywhere. They have a good kicking game and are in the same situation as us. They are second in their conference and it will be a huge game,” Human added, underlining the importance to setting the tone on the tour with a good start.
“We have to focus on ourselves and have to be better than we were in the past few weeks. We can click and we need to and it will be great for the tour if we do. It will be a long tour if we don’t make it on Friday night,” Human said.
Read this story on SuperSport.com
Another reason breast is best: Breast milk boosts levels of chemicals crucial for brain growth and development in premature babies with a very low birth weight, a new study reveals.
“Our previous research established that vulnerable preterm infants who are fed breast milk early in life have improved brain growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes,” said Catherine Limperopoulos, director of MRI research of the developing brain at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C.
‘Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy’
However, she added, “It was unclear what makes breastfeeding so beneficial for newborns’ developing brains.”
For the new study, her team used “proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy” to solve the mystery. The non-invasive imaging reveals the chemical makeup of specific brain structures, enabling researchers to measure metabolites essential for growth.
With this technology, the researchers examined the brains of very low birth weight babies (under 3.3 pounds/1.5kg). The infants were born after no more than 32 weeks of pregnancy.
The team focused on the right frontal white matter and the cerebellum, a brain region that’s involved in balance, muscle coordination and supports high-order mental functions.
Compared to formula-fed babies, those fed breast milk had significantly higher levels of inositol in the cerebral white matter, and significantly higher creatine levels.
One in 10 US infants born preterm
Study lead author Katherine Ottolini explained that “key metabolite levels ramp up during the times babies’ brains experience exponential growth”.
The percentage of days infants were fed breast milk was associated with significantly higher levels of both creatine and a water soluble nutrient called choline, the researchers reported.
“Creatine facilitates recycling of ATP, the cell’s energy currency. Seeing greater quantities of this metabolite denotes more rapid changes and higher cellular maturation. Choline is a marker of cell membrane turnover; when new cells are generated, we see choline levels rise,” Ottolini said in a health system news release.
The study is scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, in Baltimore. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
About one in 10 US infants is born preterm, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Image credit: iStock
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Many say that the best way to see a new city is to run through it—I’m a big believer in this concept. From 5Ks on the West Coast to half marathons down South to international marathons (I recently ran 26.2 miles in Tokyo!), traveling for races has given me the opportunity to see the world while staying fit. And I’m not the only one who has fallen in love with this idea. “To combine these two passions is an incredible experience for people of all ages and abilities, and we are fortunate to see an increase in popularity each year,” says Jim Heim, senior vice president, event development and production, and race director of the TCS New York City Marathon, who notes that 40 percent of NYC marathon finishers are from outside the U.S.
While jet-setting for a race is fun, it’s not without challenges. It’s important to “prepare for the worst so the worst doesn’t happen,” advises Jes Woods, a Nike+ running coach. That means taking into account everything from navigating travel delays to figuring out food that won’t upset your tummy when you’re in a new country. To help you focus on the bliss of running in a far-off place, we’ve mapped it out for you.
You get to your intended destination, but your checked luggage does not. Cue panic. Avoid this situation by packing race-day essentials in your carry-on. We’re talking everything from your outfit to your favorite hair tie to your energy gels. And because Mother Nature can be fickle, it’s not a bad idea to throw in some options. Take the 2018 Boston Marathon: “Race day was windy and rainy with some snow, while the next day it was a picture-perfect day for running,” says Chris Heuisler, Westin Hotels & Resorts’ global RunWestin concierge. Runners who had packed layering options were much better off than those who hadn’t.
RELATED: Traveling For a Race? Here’s Your Packing List
Plan to arrive at your destination a few days ahead of your event so you have some wiggle room. Asics elite athlete Emma Bates was on her way to the New York City half marathon in March when her flight was canceled due to weather. She had to drive five hours from Boise, Idaho, to Salt Lake City, where she boarded a flight a day later than planned. “I always head out in advance because I expect travel plans to go awry; when they do go according to plan, it’s a bonus,” says Bates.
As for the actual journey, if you have a long flight or car ride, walking about every few hours will prevent your muscles from tightening up. “Perform a few hip stretches while you’re at it, and keep a lacrosse ball on hand to use on your glutes or hamstrings—just move it around on the muscle to keep blood flowing,” says Carly Graham, DPT, a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City. Prolonged sitting restricts blood flow, which can lead to swelling and increases your risk for blood clots, explains Haydée C. Brown, MD, an assistant clinical professor in orthopedic surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Try wearing compression socks to encourage blood to flow. Oh, and skip the in-flight cocktails—they dehydrate you, which is a big no-no before running. Instead, drink at least eight ounces of water per hour you’re traveling.
RELATED: 6 Ways to Stay Safe When You’re Running Alone
The potential for flight delays isn’t the only reason to arrive early. Traveling, especially through different time zones, can do a number on your body, which can ultimately affect your performance. Getting to your destination a few days in advance gives you time to adjust. Go for a quick run or walk as soon after landing as possible, suggests Graham: “You will feel creaky and stiff, but it will help work out those kinks before the race.” For long trips, Bates also recommends that you begin adapting your routine as soon as you board your flight, consuming food and caffeine only at the times you would at the new locale; the same goes for sleeping. “It will give you a ‘head start’ and will make jet lag less dreadful.” Jonathan Cane, an exercise physiologist, run coach, and owner of City Coach Multisport in New York City takes it a step further, suggesting you begin acclimating the week or two leading up to your trip. His rec: Adjust some of your training runs, and try to shift your sleep cycle by 30 minutes each night to get closer to your destination schedule.
RELATED: When I Started Running in My Hijab People Asked ‘Why Are You Torturing Yourself?’
Whether it’s a new city or country, there may be cultural differences. For example, in many U.S. races, folks just toss their garbage—gel packets, cups, etc.—on the ground along the race route. In Tokyo, not so much. During my race, volunteers lined the course with small bags, and you were expected to dispose of your garbage properly; not to do so is considered rude. Hydration offerings may also differ depending on where you are in the world. For instance, at the Berlin marathon they offer a beet-based beverage rather than a sports drink. Most big races tell you in advance what will be served—if it’s unfamiliar, you should test it or choose to carry your own, says Woods. We all know that nutrition can make or break a race, so resist the urge to try some new food or cuisine in a foreign place before a race, too. Stick with what you know, advises Graham. And “make sure you have your prerace dinner planned beforehand,” says Cane. “Don’t stress out searching for healthy options at the last minute”—or with a long wait for a table that leaves you grumpy and up way past your intended bedtime.
Last, use your shake-out run the day before the race to scope out the start and/or finish line and solidify a game plan for how to get to and from the race and post-running reunions with friends and family.
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