General strike and nationwide marches by Saftu, its affiliates and its civil society allies
All events start at 10:00
Johannesburg
Assembling at Newtown Precinct Park. Marching to the Department of Labour, the Provincial Department of Health ad the Premier’s Office Keynote speakers: Mac Chavalala, SAFTU President & Zwelinzima Vavi, Saftu General Secretary
JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways (SAA) should be kept afloat as it cannot be kept going by bailouts by the state, said parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) chair, Themba Godi, says.
He was reacting to the state of the national carrier after its board appeared before his committee in Parliament on Tuesday.
Godi said it seemed there were people who were deliberately mismanaging state entities.
The national carrier remains in a dire financial state and cannot afford to repay its R9.2-billion debt.
“ As a committee, our commitment is that SAA should be kept afloat. There have to be conditions and a demonstration of good governance,” Godi said.
“SAA cannot be kept on the basis of bailouts. Look at an office in Miami, each employee is paid like R65,000 per month. Those things can be fixed by any person who is committed to doing the right thing [to ensure] SAA is kept afloat.”
eNCA
Composite Business Cycle Indicators
AUSTIN, Texas – Former US President George HW Bush was admitted to a Houston hospital on Sunday after contracting an infection that spread to his blood, a family spokesman said on Monday.
Bush, 93, was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital a day after a funeral was held for his wife, Barbara Bush, spokesman Jim McGrath said.
“He is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering,” McGrath said in a statement.
Bush, the country’s oldest living ex-president, served a single term in the Oval Office from 1989 through 1993.
He is the father of former Republican President George W. Bush, who served two terms from 2001 through 2009, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Republican nomination for president.
Former US first lady Barbara Bush, the only American woman to see her husband and son both sworn in as president, died last Tuesday at the age of 92.
Barbara Bush’s longtime friend, Susan Baker, the wife of former Secretary of State James Baker, described her in a eulogy at her funeral on Saturday as a “tough but loving enforcer” whose 73-year marriage to her husband was a real-life fairy tale.
Reuters
Thirty-two people facing public violence charges in connection with recent violent protests in Mahikeng were released on warnings in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Monday, police said.
“They will all appear again on different dates,” Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.
In the meantime, fiery tensions that surfaced last week appear to have abated.
“It is all quiet now,” Mokgwabone said late on Monday.
Violence flared up last Wednesday after a vote of no confidence in North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo was postponed.
This was due to an Economic Freedom Fighters court application to have the vote conducted by secret ballot “to protect” ANC members who may want him removed.
The violence spread to Taung, Delareyville and Vryburg.
Read more here: Violence spreads in North West as residents demand that Supra Mahumapelo goes
President Cyril Ramaphosa cut short his visit to London to fly home and assess the situation.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Tokozile Xasa urgently wants a report on the pitch invasion and violence that broke out at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, which left 18 people injured, one seriously, spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said on Monday.
“We really need to get to the bottom of what happened,” Mhaga said, after the incident at a match between Kaizer Chiefs and Free State Stars on Saturday. The violence occurred after the final whistle left Kaizer Chiefs down 2-0.
He added that, although the inquiry into an incident at FNB Stadium last year was called off due to a legal challenge, “it is not completely off the table”. In that incident on July 29, 2017, two soccer fans died and 21 were injured.
READ: Sports minister withdraws inquiry into deadly FNB stadium stampede
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has already charged Kaizer Chiefs with “bringing the league into disrepute and misconduct” and summoned the club to appear before a PSL disciplinary committee on May 3.
Spokesperson Luxolo September told News24 that the security guard filmed lying prone after he was attacked, had been discharged from hospital.
Stadium manager Vusi Mazibuko said 18 people were injured when people suddenly broke through safety barriers after the final whistle and charged at the team, which fled to safety.
“Saturday’s incident was shocking, to say the least,” he said.
‘It was really criminal’
Apart from seats being torn out, some were set light, safety barriers were destroyed, camera equipment was damaged, and even stadium plumbing had to be repaired.
“It was really criminal,” said Mazibuko, who hopes to have a final assessment of the damage to the stadium by Wednesday.
“The ethos of sport is about the excitement of winning or losing and accepting the result,” he said.
However, he said that in spite of Saturday night’s events, other stadium activities continued on Sunday.
He explained that security arrangements were made in line with risk assessments by the SA Police Service and that the PSL was responsible for arranging private security.
On the night, about 27 000 people watched the Nedbank Cup semi-final before the final whistle blew and the chaos broke out. The risk assessment was planned for 30 000 people.
Aneme Security owner James Dlamini told News24 earlier that 375 guards from his company were deployed to the venue, and together with other companies, there were more than 500 guards in place.
Said Mazibuko: “We are disappointed. This is bigger than Moses Mabhida. It is the image of the country.”
Meanwhile, Phelelani Jojisa appeared on a charge of malicious damage to property in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
His case was postponed to Wednesday. Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said police had initially arrested two people, but alleged that only Jojisa could be linked to the incident so far.
DURBAN – Advocacy group Right2Know (R2K) on Monday, demanded transparency from the Moerane Commission of Inquiry after learning it had refused to release transcripts of public hearings to the media and public.
“R2K is disturbed to learn that the Moerane Commission of Inquiry has refused to release its transcripts to the public and to the media. We demand transparency in all issues pertaining to the Moerane Commission of Inquiry especially in accessing transcripts and ultimately the report of the Commission,” the group said in a statement.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Willies Mchunu, established the commission on 31 October 2016 to investigate the underlying causes of political killings in the province since 2011.
Public hearings ended in March after an extension was granted to accommodate more testimonies, but the commission’s report is still awaited. An extension has also been granted for the report to be finalised.
Journalists being denied access to the transcripts was “an aberration to the founding values of South Africa’s constitutional democracy which is founded on accountability, transparency and responsiveness,” according to the statement.
R2K said it was further concerned that the Premier’s office had made contradictory statements about whether or not the commission’s report would be released to the public when it was finalised.
“As citizens, we cannot hold government, corporations and individuals accountable if we are not able to access crucial information,” the statement said.
“A spokesperson for the Moerane Commission has claimed that the transcripts are being withheld to protect witnesses. We reject this claim since the transcripts are of testimonies made in a public forum,” according to the statement.
“It is the right of the citizens of this country to be privy to such records and that right should be upheld by all institutions and structures of this country. We also remind the Moerane Commission that the hearings were funded by the public, pertaining to issues of great importance to the public. The Right2Know Campaign, therefore, demands that the transcripts be made public.”
African News Agency
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have called on the Public Protector to investigate former president Jacob Zuma and North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo on allegations that the premier gave Zuma a herd of cattle worth R1.5m as a gift in 2016 using public funds.
The Hawks on Sunday confirmed that an investigation into the allegations was underway.
“Both Mahumapelo and Zuma must be investigated and if found guilty they must not only pay back the money, they must be criminally held liable for abuse of state funds,” said EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
“It is not possible that Zuma can claim that he wrongly benefited from state money without any knowledge as it was the case with the Nkandla homestead security upgrades.”
The party has also called for Supra Mahumapelo to step down as premier of the North West.
“Mahumapelo has not only failed to drive the state machinery to deliver services, he has been part of crippling corruption.”
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has also expressed its support for an investigation into the matter.
“The Hawks investigation into the alleged involvement of Mahumapelo including whether Zuma had in his declaration of interests declared the cows as a gift from the North West provincial government must be expedited and criminal charges instituted against them if irregularities are uncovered,” Sanco provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe said.
Sanco has also encouraged the dismissal of MEC for Rural, Environment and Agriculture Development Manketse Tlape for his role in the alleged corruption.
“The special investigation unit must jointly with the Offices of the Auditor-General and the Public Protector probe the rural, environment and agricultural development programmes for irregularities and any other improprieties including the whereabouts of the other 25 cows that remain unaccounted for,” Sebegoe said.
He said if the premier is not involved in the corruption levelled against him and his administration, the least he can do as the head of government is to accept responsibility that they occurred under his watch.
Mahumpelo faced a difficult week after residents of Mahikeng, North West engaged in violent protests on Wednesday to demand his resignation.
The province’s capital finally reached a state of calm after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed residents on Friday.
POLOKWANE – Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba on Sunday condemned the violent protest which erupted in the Waterval policing area after two people were killed during an armed robbery.
Two people died during a house robbery at Bungeni Basani village in the Waterval area outside Makhado at about 8.30pm on Saturday night, Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe said.
It was alleged that a 43-year-old woman was at her homestead together with her children when they were attacked by three unknown armed suspects. The men demanded money and cellphones. However, before the victims could respond, the assailants started shooting randomly, wounding the woman and her 19 and 21-year-old sons. Her 25-year-old daughter died instantly. The woman and her two sons were taken to hospital for medical treatment, Ngoepe said.
“During the scuffle, one of the suspects was also shot… allegedly by his accomplices before they fled the scene and disappeared in the darkness after they robbed the victims [of] their three cellphones.”
Police were notified and reacted swiftly, finding “this suspect lying dead a distance away from the victims’ house”. The three stolen cellphones and R1200 in cash were found in his possession. Cases of murder, attempted murder, and house robbery were opened. The three wounded victims were recuperating in the hospital with serious gunshot wounds, Ngoepe said.
“Responding to the incident, members of the community at Basani Mtsetweni and the surrounding villages went on [the] rampage and barricaded the roads between Diza and Mashau villages with various objects.”
Ledwaba warned members of the community to keep calm and refrain from any form of violence, including damage to property. They should give police space to investigate and deal with the incident.
“The deceased suspect is still unknown and his accomplices are still on the run and there is no arrest. Anyone who can assist the police in arresting these suspects may contact the crime stop number 08600-10111 or the crime line SMS 32211 or the nearest police station,” Ngoepe said.
African News Agency
The African Democratic Change (ADeC) political party has on Sunday welcomed the resignation of its former president Makhosi Khoza, slamming her “dictatorial” leadership.
“We register our displeasure and disappointment in the manner in which Makhosi Khoza dragged the process,” said acting spokesperson Bongani Masilela in a statement.
“Makhosi Khoza had presented herself as the supreme leader of the party by making dictatorial decisions which had put the party into disrepute.
“She has done and said things that were out of context to those of the party and its nature, presenting herself to be above the organisation.”
The party still wanted to carry out the disciplinary hearing of all charged members on Monday, April 23 before dealing with the IEC registration process, and also needed to do away with the party’s so-called Non-Profit Organisation.
The party also said that her resignation signalled “a new dawn” for ADeC.
“We wish to send a message to all media houses and all South Africans to grow and move away from the belief that a political party belongs to an individual.”
Instead, the party was registered with the IEC and therefore remained “public property”.
The party then wished Khoza well.
“Makhosi Khoza still has a lot to offer South Arica and [we] wish her well her future endeavours.”
On Saturday, Khoza, who resigned from the ANC last year and formed the ADeC, announced that she was retiring from politics for a new opportunity.
“I feel time has come for me to pursue and fulfill my bigger mission in this life as outlined in the opening paragraph above. My bigger mission is beyond the confines of politics and political parties,” she wrote on Facebook.
She will be joining her son in developing algorithms for aBantu languages.
Last month, an intense battle for the control of Khoza’s new party came to light, with Thokozani Msomi, who claimed to be the party’s deputy president, saying that Khoza had been suspended for bringing the party into disrepute.
Msoni’s statement said the decision to suspend Khoza came following a communication breakdown, and she would be facing a disciplinary hearing.
ADeC’s spokesperson Feziwe Ndwayana at the time denied the suspension, saying those behind the call for Khoza to be suspended were not recognised as members of the party.
Khoza rose to prominence as a member of Parliament, serving on both the SABC inquiry as well as the ad hoc committee that elected a new Public Protector.
She was also vocal opponent of former president Jacob Zuma – which saw members of the portfolio committee she chaired demand she be removed prior to her resignation from the ANC.