Former Mozambican finance minister Manuel Chang will remain in custody until January 8 when he next appears in court.

Chang was arrested on Saturday in South Africa, and is wanted by the United States for his alleged involvement in financial crimes totalling $2bn.

News24 understands that Chang is not the only suspect under investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his involvement in the alleged crimes.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo confirmed to News24 on Tuesday that Chang appeared briefly in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s court on Monday.

Naidoo confirmed that Chang will stay in custody until he next appears in court on January 8. What happens then is unclear, as the matter must now be dealt with by the National Prosecuting Authority. The NPA could not be reached for comment on Tuesday morning.

Naidoo said that Chang, 63, will face an extradition hearing and will be extradited to the US if that country is successful in its application.

While he could not comment on the specifics of Chang’s arrest, Naidoo said that the former minister had been red-flagged by Interpol, which meant that South African authorities would have been alerted if he had tried to move in or out of the country.

Individuals are placed on Interpol’s red list on request of member countries, who want another member country to provisionally arrest a wanted person, pending an extradition.

According to AFP, Chang was finance minister between 2005 and 2015. The alleged secret loans, or “hidden debt” reportedly plunged Mozambique into a financial crisis.

It is not clear whether the allegations against Chang are related to this, but the Wall Street Journal reported in November 2017 that the FBI and the US Department of Justice were investigating three international banks for their alleged roles in facilitating the hidden debt.

In January, Mozambique’s state prosecutor launched its own investigation into the loans, the Financial Times reported.

Mozambican news outlet Carta de Mozambique reported on Sunday that Chang could face up to 45 years in prison. He is reportedly wanted for conspiracy for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and money laundering, according to an arrest warrant seen by the paper.

Chang will probably serve his sentence in a US prison if he is convicted. Although the arrest warrant does not state where the crimes occurred, it is reportedly likely that American financial institutions were used, prompting investigations by that country’s authorities.

Forty-five houses have been left gutted, leaving at least 200 people homeless, following a devastating fire which swept through historic Wuppertal in the Western Cape.

The small Cederberg town saw its Moravian Mission Station, clinic and town hall completely destroyed this past weekend.

“The emergency care personnel and ambulances from the Western Cape government assisted the fire victims throughout the night and have been placed on standby to assist where required,” said the City of Cape Town’s Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.

Solomons-Johannes said the telecommunications infrastructure had been completely destroyed, leaving the community unable to communicate efficiently.

It is understood that the provincial disaster management centre will on Monday make an aerial assessment to determine the extent of the damage.

“That will be while health officials assist with the dispensing of medication, especially for the aged and frail care as many of the people living in the Wupperthal town are old people,” Solomons-Johannes added.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has been informed of the situation in order to assist with the provision of clothes, tents and food.

“The assistance from neighbouring towns and municipalities of Clanwilliam, Piketberg, Vredenburg, Malmesbury (Swartland), Cederberg, Matzikama and Bergriver is much appreciated in attempts to bring the raging blaze under control control,” Solomons-Johannes added.

A 53-year-old man is expected to appear in court on Monday after allegedly running a drug laboratory from an apartment in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban.

Mandrax and heroin with a street value of R1.5m was found on the premises.

The arrest followed a raid on the premises on Friday night by various police units, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said in a statement.

The man was apparently arrested after police followed up on information. He was then taken back to the flat, which was also searched.

Zwane said the flat is believed to be used for the packaging and storage of drugs.

On December 10, the Hawks arrested seven suspects on drug-related charges.

News24 reported that the suspects, aged between 20 and 60, were arrested at a Tafelsig house in Cape Town. Dagga and mandrax tablets valued at over R500 000 were discovered.

The drugs were found buried underground in a trunk in the parking area. More drugs and cash were found in a safe, concealed behind a painting on the wall.

A giraffe, known as the gentle giant of nature, can sometimes turn out to be a killer.

This behavior once observed by wildlife specialist Amy Attenborough was again reinforced after a giraffe kicked a farm worker to death outside Bela-Bela in Limpopo on Saturday.

According to provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel, Moatshe Ngoepe, the 49-year old worker was feeding the animals when the giraffe kicked him in the stomach.

The incident happened at a local safari lodge.

His family was too distraught to speak to News24 on Saturday.

“According to the information received, the paramedics were summoned and on arrival they tried to resuscitate him, but was later declared dead,” Ngoepe said.

He said the police in Bela-Bela have opened an inquest docket.

Other incidents of giraffe attacks reported in 2018 includes that of an award-winning South African filmmaker, Carlos Carvallo, who died after being head-butted by the animal while filming at Glen Africa country Lodge in the North West in May.

In September, Katy Williams and her three-year-old son were left critically injured when a giraffe that has just given birth attacked them at the Blyde Wildlife Estate in Hoedspruit.

Attenborough once wrote: “Giraffes are well-versed in the art of self-defence to the point where even lions only dare to attack them in large groups. 

“A giraffe can kick in any direction and in a manner of ways, and its kick cannot only kill a lion, but has even been known to decapitate it.” 

Former Gauteng MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu was praised during a memorial service held in his honour in Pimville, Soweto, on Friday for his hard work and commitment.

Mosunkutu, 68, who served under several portfolios as an MEC in the province, died on December 24 after a long illness.

Among the accomplishments he was remembered for was quelling taxi violence in the province during his time as MEC for community safety. 

Many taxi ranks around the province were shut down and Mosunkutu ordered taxi associations to negotiate and find common ground to end the violence.

During his 11-year tenure at the provincial legislature, from which he resigned in 2011, Mosunkutu served as MEC for community safety, public transport, roads and works as well as agriculture, conservation and environment. 

READ: Khabisi Mosunkutu to get special provincial official funeral

Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali remembered Mosunkutu for his role in the formation of organisations including the United Democratic Front.

“He was also there during the formation of Cosatu. When doing these things there was no price. He did that for his love of his people. Trade unionists are not exposed in corruption and tender scandals. He will rest in peace because we all know that his name won’t be mentioned in the Zondo commission [of inquiry into state capture].

‘Courage and commitment’

“He loved the taxi industry and ensured that it progressed,” he said.   

Former MEC and friend Mary Metcalfe said it was a great honour to have worked with Mosunkutu.

“I am happy that both his families, which are his family and the ANC, are here today. Mosunkutu and other leaders played a vital role in the formation of Gauteng province. It is indeed a great honour to have worked with him in the legislature where we spent sleepless nights.

“He had huge courage and commitment to liberate South Africa. He was among many leaders who gave us the opportunity to build this country for all of us. He worked very hard to understand the frustrations of our people and turned those frustrations into expressions of hope,” she said.

READ: Former Gauteng MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu dies on Christmas Eve

Metcalfe added that Mosunkutu was a trusted leader who sacrificed much without the thought of being rewarded.

ANC Women’s League provincial chairperson and MEC for sport, arts and recreation Faith Mazibuko said they had a lost a gentle giant, a leader and a father who raised many young women in the ANC.

Mazibuko said Mosunkutu never discriminated against anyone in the party.

“He was able to assist us as young women in political teachings. He was able to recognise oppression against women. He fought for women to have maternity leave with full benefits. Unlike today, where maternity [leave] is only paid for four months, the other two months are deducted from UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) contributions.

Representative of the people

“We want fathers to be entitled to receive payments for paternity leave too. Today, as women we are proud to have been served by him in the ANC. He represented everyone,” said Mazibuko.

ANC provincial treasurer in Gauteng Parks Tau said Mosunkutu was a representative of the people who fought for their freedoms, but that the battle was far from over.

“We can’t say we are there yet when there is an absence of opportunities which are determined by gender, race and class. We are not there yet when the African race earn a quarter of an income earned by their white counterparts,”he said.

“We are only free to vote but not free from hunger, poverty, premature mortality and illnesses simply because we are black and poor. We will only be free when we know that opportunities to prosper are equitable.”

Tau praised President Cyril Ramaphosa for bringing change and said the country was witnessing a new dawn as promised by the president.  

Mosunkutu’s provincial official funeral is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 3, in Soweto.