Editor’s note: This live event will be broadcast live on eNCA.com and was expected to start at 3pm. This stream will commence once proceedings get underway.
JOHANNESBURG – Unions participating in a crippling national bus strike are set to update the public and media on progress in wage negotiations on Friday afternoon.
On Thursday, employers tabled a new wage offer.
#BusStrike So at 3pm today 5 unions representing striking bus drivers will reveal whether their members have accepted or rejected the latest offer from employers.
The Golden Arrow Bus Services company has spoken out against what it says are unions’ attempt to force pay increases beyond the point of stability of the company.
CEO Francois Meyer said in a statement that Golden Arrow could not continue its practice of paying up to 59 percent more than the minimum rates agreed to with unions.
The secretary-general of the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council, Gary Wilson, has said he’s frustrated at the continuing nationwide bus strike.
South Point Central student accommodation residence confirmed to DRUM an incident involving a student jumping from one of their buildings.
It’s understood the student, who attended Wits University, jumped from the third floor of Clifton Heights in Braamfontein on Thursday evening.
According to an email issued by Wits to its students, the student passed away just after 21:00.
“The university regrets to announce a Wits student passed away last night just after 9pm, following a fall from a building in Braamfontein. Our deepest condolences are extended to the family and friends of the students and those who knew him well. May he rest in peace,” the statement read.
The university also added that the acting dean, student representatives and the SAPS were on the scene as soon as they were alerted and went on to offer counselling services to those who may need it.
Speaking to DRUM, South Point Central’s marketing manager, Nyiko Chauke, confirmed the incident and that the student accommodation group is still investigating the matter.
“We cannot give the details of the incident yet as we are still investigating the matter and since it is still very sensitive, however, we can confirm an incident did take place at our Clifton Heights residence on Thursday night,” he said.
In October last year 19-year-old Wits student, Kago Moeng, committed suicide by jumping from the sixth floor of a South Point student residence.
Social media users have taken to Twitter to express their frustrations over the rising number of student suicides.
DRUM has contacted Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela and he said he hadn’t yet been informed of the incident.
Another #BraamSuicide this time around from my building ??????And still our student accommodations are not helping us deal with academic pressure and teach us about mental issues. All they care about is their rent being due or we are locked out ????
— Sefularo Keamogetswe (@Sefularo_Keamo) May 11, 2018
#braamsuicide ?? I feel guilty everytime this happens ..we need more of this support groups…a few minutes with a psychologist aren’t enough smtimes .. dm me your digits or drop them in comments section.. you cant simply snap out of it pic.twitter.com/VYotBKFxlX
It’s sad what students go through in these Universities, it saddens me more knowing that I nearly became a statistic. #DepressedButNotDefeated#BraamSuicide
#Braamsuicide How does one decides that enough is enough, how do you put your mental health a priority over your academics when the first thing that comes to mind is how your folks will complain bout losing their monies over nothing? The pressure is too much
VERULAM – Religious leaders and one of the survivors of a deadly attack on a Durban mosque say there is no doubt in their minds the attack was a terrorist attack by the likes of an organisation like the Islamic State (Isis).
A survivor of the attack said the attackers entered the mosque by saying they wanted to pray but after praying, they attacked and killed one person.
The Hawks has taken over the investigation of the attack.
The elite crime-fighting unit said earlier the attack shows signs of extremism.
“At this stage, the motive is still unknown. Hawks members attended the crime scene, there were elements of extremism. We are working together with crime-fighting units to find the perpetrators,” says Simphiwe Mhlongo, KZN Hawks Spokesperson.
#MosqueAttack Hawks says this attack has elements of extreminism
North West Premier and ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo can go ahead and wage his “aggressive legal battle”, some of his stern critics have said, continuing to call for his removal from leadership roles in the province.
Mahumapelo announced on Wednesday that he would not be stepping down as premier or ANC chair of the platinum-rich province, as initially indicated. He would instead go on leave, appointing finance MEC Wendy Nelson as acting premier.
At the same time, an inter-ministerial committee appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to assess the state of his province, particularly the health crisis, was expected to report back to Cabinet by Wednesday.
Ramaphosa placed the North West Department of Health under administration as it had completely collapsed, with patients bearing the brunt of striking medical staff and a shortage of medicines for more than two months.
The premier’s announcement shocked some, as he had given strong indication on Tuesday that he would be announcing his resignation as premier at a media briefing. This was later cancelled.
Mahumapelo has mostly remained quiet as a storm brewed around him and violent protests broke out in his province, as residents called on him to go. On Wednesday though, he hit out at several of his detractors following a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting in Mahikeng.
These included the Revolutionary Council, which is a campaign stemming from calls to see him removed, ANC alliance partners SACP and SANCO in the North West, as well as numerous individuals in the ANC who he wouldn’t name.
Mahumapelo has claimed some of these ANC members are working with opposition parties to divide the ruling party.
‘It’s just all so bizarre’
“Supra can bring it on. Tell him to bring it on,” said the Revolutionary Council’s Lucky Diale.
He told News24 that Mahumapelo’s decision to reverse a resignation he had hinted at on Tuesday evening strengthens the Revolutionary Council’s point.
“He said by 12 on Wednesday he would be known as the ‘former premier’. What happened tells us something happened between that interview and when he called a PEC meeting which he would chair as the issue of him, the chair was on the agenda. It’s just all so bizarre,” said Diale.
Diale said the council had been asked to halt their protests and to wait for the national leadership of the ANC to deal with Mahumapelo. This followed a meeting with ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte, head of organising Senzo Mchunu, president of the Veteran’s League Snuki Zikalala and ANC manager Febe Potgieter Gqubule.
He said they had been assured at a meeting two weeks ago that Mahumapelo’s issue would be resolved by Tuesday, but instead they heard from the embattled premier that he would not be going anywhere.
“We are going to write a letter to the ANC, we need to express our disappointment in the outcome and [we are] seeking clarity on this issue,” said Diale.
Diale added that they did not want to see any more protests breaking out. He insists the Revolutionary Council never advocated for violence and that they have already asked those who want Mahumapelo removed to remain calm.
A member of the SACP in the North West speaking to News24 anonymously, said he welcomed the latest developments.
“This is a good thing. The PEC has effectively asked to be dissolved through their act of defiance,” he said.
The SACP member said people would not take to the streets as they can now see it is a national matter.
‘It showed political immaturity’
SANCO’s provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe, sharing his views on Mahumapelo’s attack on both SANCO and the SACP, said the premier’s comments were unfortunate and regrettable.
“It showed political immaturity and his lack of a background in struggle credentials. It’s just malicious to question the role of these two structures,” remarked Sebegoe.
“The reality of the matter is that SANCO’s responsibility has to do with the protection and advancement of the needs of the community. The issue of the North West can’t escape that they are connected to the masses,” the organisation’s provincial chair continued.
He said Mahumapelo couldn’t divert the responsibilities which fall on SANCO.
Sebegoe also sought to warn the ANC of its handling of the Mahumapelo matter.
“People cannot eat ideology. Instead of addressing issues raised by communities we are being ideological and philosophical but there are real problems here,” he said.
Sebegoe said the focus in the North West had been diverted from being about the community to ANC matters.
“People have outgrown our tactics, in terms of how we respond to issues, one of these days they are going to revolt. What we saw over the past three weeks is nothing,” said Sebegoe.
He also suggested that while the party battled over Mahumapelo’s tenure, it was best to place all departments in the province under administration.
“This [will] ensure professionals come in and take immediate responsibilities, make sure projects which were agreed upon are also delivered,” he said.
JOHANNESBURG – Police are searching for a gang that robbed a cash-in-transit van in Kempton Park.
One officer was wounded after police exchanged fire with the gang in Kelvin, north of Johannesburg.
Police confirmed the robbers managed to flee with bags of money in four getaway vehicles.
So far no arrests have been made, and police are calling on the public to come forward with information that may lead to arrests.
Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said: “On the way to Sandton, they [the suspects] were seen by other police and they gave chase. Nobody was arrested but they dropped some of the bags that were carrying money in from the cash van on the street. We are investigating a case of armed robbery and attempted murder.
“One of our members was shot in the arm he has been taken to hospital. He is in a stable condition,” he added.
NAIROBI – A dam burst in a Kenyan town after weeks of heavy rain, causing “huge destruction” and deaths, a government official said on Thursday.
The burst happened in Solai, Nakuru county, 190 km northwest of the capital, Nairobi, late on Wednesday.
“The water has caused huge destruction of both life and property. The extent of the damage has yet to be ascertained,” Lee Kinyajui, governor of Nakuru, said in a statement.
The Gauteng police are monitoring the situation in the inner city after a group of protesters burned refuse which had not been collected for at least a month.
“Some people are protesting for this contract Pikitup and they are burning rubbish that has not collected in the CBD for a long time,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubela.
He said people residing in the inner city were burning rubbish and had blockaded Claim Street, which was now open.
“The police are monitoring the situation. No one has been arrested,” he said.
On videos supplied to News24, residents are seen burning the rubbish and singing in protest.
Fed up
According to police, the protesters marched through the city centre and causing delays on Wolmaraans, Smit, and Blanket streets in Hillbrow.
One of the fed up protesters living in Hillbrow said Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba had not collected refuse.
“Our streets were so dirt and that is why we resorted to this…This is a basic need for everyone.”
He said: “Are they doing this because we are black that we cannot have hygienic services. Mashaba’s administration has eyes, it only services areas Sandton, Randburg and Rosebank where there are white people and here in Hillbrow, he does not bring it.
“We have stayed with all the rubbish and today we decided that we will take it to his office so that he can take care of it. So what should we do because our houses are smelling. It is a dump.”
He claimed that in the entire inner city rubbish had not been collected since last month.
“There was no truck or alternatives made to service our area. We are continue because this man is undermining us. We are a valuable people,” he said.
On Wednesday, the waste company said it had started to clear up areas in Johannesburg that were affected by rubbish collection backlog.
Spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi said: “Processes [were] in place to see how we could absorb some of these contract workers into Pikitup. The processes took too long, and their contracts ended. So we had to use limited staff to clean in certain areas.”
Mkhwanazi said there were “unacceptable” levels of waste were in parts and sections of Alexandra, Hillbrow, Joubert Park, Doornfontein and Mayfair.
“There has never been a time where Pikitup services were discontinued in the affected areas,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the latest allegations against ANC MP and NEC member, Mduduzi Manana, “have not been made known” to him.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa was answering questions in the National Assembly when IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe put it to him that the government was not doing enough to fight gender-based violence.
Van der Merwe asked if the president thought Manana was still suitable to be an MP after allegations emerged that he had assaulted his domestic worker.
Last year in September, News24 reported that Manana was convicted of three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after he pleaded guilty to the charges.
The charges related to the assault of three women at Cubana in Fourways on August 6, 2017, which was filmed and went viral on social media, sparking a national outcry for his arrest.
In the latest incident, it is alleged that Manana shoved his 53-year-old domestic worker down the stairs over the weekend. Charges were initially laid, but were later withdrawn.
Manana said on Monday that he intended laying a complaint against the domestic worker for allegedly trying to extort R100 000 from him.
“The new allegations levelled against me are both unfortunate and malicious,” he said in a statement.
TimesLive reported on Tuesday that a recording emerged in which Manana allegedly offered his domestic worker R100 000 to drop the charges.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa agreed with Van der Merwe that more needed to be done to stop gender-based violence. He said the justice system needed to be more responsive.
Ramaphosa also said that the government was going to commit more resources to combat gender-based violence.
“This is an area of focus we need to shine a light on.”
Referring to the latest allegations against Manana, Ramaphosa said “the issues have not been made known to me”.
He was jeered from the opposition benches.
“Even he, Mduduzi Manana, needs to go through his own party’s system,” Ramaphosa said.
“I think it is best to leave it there, because that is where the real evidence will emerge.”
Manana couldn’t be seen from the press gallery in the ANC’s backbenches, which he now occupies after resigning as deputy minister of higher education and training last year.
While Ramaphosa spoke, DA MP Terri Stander shouted several times: “Fire Manana!”
Earlier on Tuesday, she said in a statement that police must investigate the claims of assault.
“The suggestion that the SAPS will no longer investigate the claim because the complainant has ‘withdrawn’ it, is both disingenuous and contrary to the law,” she said.
“The SAPS must ensure that the claims against Manana are thoroughly investigated and that he be charged if found to have acted unlawfully.”
She added that the police should also investigate reports that the domestic worker had been threatened, intimidated and was subsequently offered R100 000 to withdraw the complaint.
“The DA will add these fresh allegations against Manana to our complaint to Parliament’s Ethics Committee,” Stander said.
“Manana, a person of wealth and influence, previously avoided serving 12 months in jail by paying a R100 000 fine after being convicted of three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in September 2017. He should not be allowed to escape the consequences of his alleged actions through coercion or bribery.”
Stander said Manana did not belong in Parliament where he earned a salary paid by taxpayers. The fact that he continued to serve as an MP proved that the ANC was not committed to building a non-sexist society and to ending the scourge of violence against women.
The ANC Women’s League said in a statement that it noted the withdrawal of the charges against Manana.
“Whilst we take into account the principles of innocent until proven guilty, the ANCWL is resolute in supporting the victims of violence and wishes to reiterate this position. ANCWL acknowledges that there are various reasons for victims of gender-based violence to withdraw cases, however that practice defeats the goal of eliminating gender-based violence in the country,” ANCWL secretary general Meokgo Matuba said in the statement.
The league called on all members of society to unite and provide support to the victims of gender-based violence.
“Withdrawal of cases of gender-based violence has a potential to delegitimise the fight against [the] abuse of women.
“The ANCWL condemns violence against women and encourages all victims to report cases to law enforcement agencies and allow the law to take its course.”
Embattled North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo has “voluntarily” decided to resign, the ANC in the North West confirmed on Tuesday.
There have been violent protests in the province’s capital Mahikeng and other towns through the province over the past month as pressure mounted on him to vacate his position.
Acting provincial secretary Susan Dantjie confirmed in a statement that the party accepted Mahumapelo’s resignation “with a sense [of] apprehension – but great pride”.
“As an organisation, we will forever be appreciative and learn from his emphatic, principled but simple approach to issues,” Dantjie said.
“In his 35 years of revolutionary activism in the ANC, he has mastered the art of remaining simple and humble at all times, despite sustained concocted attacks against him by some friends and comrades.”
She said the party was confident he would continue his movement in whatever new role he was deployed to.
“We urge him to remain steadfast in what he believes are the necessary tasks of executing the revolution,” she said.
Dantjie added that the ANC still believed “in Cde (comrade) Supra’s innocence until he’s proven otherwise” and commended him for putting the interests of the province and its people before his own.
“Continue leading us on an exemplary role in society as you have done for so many years.”
Earlier, News24 asked Mahumapelo if reports that he would be stepping down on Wednesday were true. He responded: “Packing my bags and going home from tomorrow.”
His detractors have called for his entire provincial executive committee to also be disbanded.
Pressure mounted on Mahumapelo to vacate his office after President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed an inter-ministerial task team to investigate the unfolding crisis. He has already placed the health department under national administration.
Ramaphosa was expected to receive a report from the inter-ministerial team, led by minister in the Presidency Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, this week.
