Minister of Defence, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

• The DA expressed its disgust after an ANC-delegation used an air force jet to Zimbabwe. 
• The ANC has been accused of abusing state resources to conduct party business.
• Defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said the ANC meeting coincided with Mapisa-Nqakula’s official work.

The DA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to clarify why an ANC-led delegation was able to fly to Zimbabwe, to meet with ZANU-PF party officials, using a SA National Defence Force (SANDF) air force jet.

News24 reported that the ANC has been accused of abusing state resources because it used a government-sponsored jet to conduct party business.

The ANC was seen arriving in Harare on a South African air force jet for a planned meeting with Zanu-PF.

At the meeting, it was agreed that there was no “crisis” plaguing Zimbabwe, but that the country faced “challenges”.

In an interview with the SABC, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who led the delegation, denied it amounted to an abuse of power.

Official work

On Thursday, ministry of defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said the ANC meeting coincided with the official work of Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

“The meeting of the ANC in Zimbabwe coincided with the meeting of the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, who was travelling to Zimbabwe to meet her counterpart in preparation for a SADC Troika meeting and the UN reconfiguration of the Force Intervention, which comprises troops from the SADC region,” he said.

The DA said not only does it call on Ramaphosa to clarify what it calls “brazen corruption” by the ANC , but the DA also calls on the ANC to immediately pay back the money the SANDF spent on transporting the party delegation to Zimbabwe.

READ | SANDF says defence minister went to Harare for official duty and gave ANC colleagues a lift

“The DA is absolutely disgusted by the ANC’s flagrant abuse of state machinery, its deliberate muddying of state and party lines and the fact that the South African taxpayer had to sponsor this meeting between the two political parties.

“Given the enormous budget constraints on the SANDF, this theft of scarce resources compromises the integrity and safety of South Africa.

“President Ramaphosa incessantly meanders on and on about corruption and maladministration, yet he continues to turn a blind eye to his own party’s complete disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers,” DA MP Kobus Marais said. 

Marais added that a line in the sand must be drawn when it comes to the ANC’s “relentless gross abuse of government resources”.

“The state cannot continue to be milked dry in pursuit of the ANC’s political ends,” he added.

The Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner has ordered a task team be established to track, trace and arrest the perpetrators.

• The victim was attacked while returning home after walking a friend to her house at 22:00 on Friday.
• Police were investigating whether the suspects knew each other and had planned the incident together. 
• The rape was reportedly carried out in groups of four and three.

Eastern Cape police are hunting for 11 suspects for allegedly raping a 17-year-old at a soccer field in Tsolo on Friday.

The incident happened at 22:00 at New Homes location in the OR Tambo District, said Eastern Cape provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana.

The victim was attacked while returning to her place after walking a friend home.

“According to the information, the victim had accompanied her friend who visited her in her place and as she was returning back home, she met four unknown men who grabbed and dragged her to a nearby soccer field where they all allegedly raped her and left her in the field.

READ | Man arrested after ‘killing wife inside police station as she reported domestic violence case’

“Further reports indicate that the four suspects were later followed by others in groups of four and three, who continued to rape the victim.”

Kinana said it was, however, unclear at this stage if the group of suspects knew each other or had planned the crime together.

“It is also unknown if they originated from the same location. The investigation is expected to unearth and unpack all the truths and motives behind this act,” said Kinana. 

READ HERE | Uncle arrested after four-year-old nephew’s beheaded body found

Eastern Cape provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, ordered a task team be established to track, trace and arrest the perpetrators “of this horrendous crime”, said Kinana.

No arrests had been made at this stage.

Anyone with information on the incident was urged to contact Sergeant Soyiso Sikhunyana on 079 890 0755 or to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 – the information would be treated with confidentiality.

EFF Members at Clicks stores in the Durban CBD during the national shutdown of all Clicks outlets.

• The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal claims it successfully shut down many Clicks stores in major malls in Durban and surrounding areas.
• Party leaders gathered at Clicks in Pixley KaSeme Street in the bustling Durban CBD.
• Provincial leader Vusi Khoza vowed to continue the protest until Friday.

The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal has claimed to have shut down many Clicks stores in Durban and surrounding areas as part of its national protest against the retail pharmaceutical giant.

The EFF, as part of national protests on Monday, instructed its members to ensure Clicks stores throughout the country were shut down for the week, after an advert labelling natural black hair as dry and damaged emerged.

ROLLING COVERAGE | EFF members protest at Clicks stores across the country

Clicks have since apologised for the advert and suspended two employees.

KwaZulu-Natal EFF leader Vusi Khoza told News24 that most Clicks stores in Durban malls and surrounding areas had been shut down.

When News24 arrived at a Clicks in Pixley KaSeme Street in the Durban CBD, EFF supporters were blocking the entrance of the store. Some customers were seen leaving.

“It’s been very effective and very successful and we are going to sustain it until Friday, and make sure there is no business for Clicks as punishment,” Khoza said.

He further criticised the advert, saying:

ALSO READ | TV crew ‘chased away’ by EFF at Cape Town Clicks protest

Khoza said there were still remnants of racism in most companies in South Africa.

“We observe that the issue of race relations in SA is really not managed properly. You get some racists who, without provocation, want to stir up disharmony.”

He said that racism also existed in companies throughout the country.

“Black people are the ones at the receiving end of blatant racism. We are not going to keep quiet. We are going to fight so that no racist is comfortable anywhere in SA.”

EFF backlash

Khoza also lashed out at the party’s detractors, particularly opposition parties who had condemned the EFF protest, saying they were racist.

“Other political parties are envious of EFF and must be kicking themselves, asking why they never did this first. We know that most of them are security guards of white monopoly capital.”

PICS | Protesters use hammers to break to doors of Clicks branch

He said they would not allow capitalists to “do as they wish here”.

“We have not done anything wrong. We are defending the dignity of black people. Other parties are comfortable with racism, the EFF is not, and we are going to make sure racists are not comfortable.”

Some protests on Monday occurred without incident, while others turned violence. Clicks on Monday said that 425 stores had been hit by the protests. At least seven experienced violence and damage.

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Thandeka Mdeliswa.

• The SABC pays tribute to actress Thandeka Mdeliswa.
• Mdeliswa reportedly died after being shot in an argument.
• The actress was best known for her role as Khanya on the SABC series, Ikani.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) says it is saddened by the untimely passing of actress Thandeka Mdeliswa.

“The SABC is even more disturbed by news reports that her death came as a result of gunshot wounds.

“The South African television industry has indeed been robbed of a young, talented and promising life, violently and senselessly taken away from our society in its prime,” the public broadcaster said in a statement on Sunday.

READ: Actor Thandeka Mdeliswa dies after ‘being shot in argument’

The actress allegedly died after being shot at her family’s home in Evandar, Mpumalanga.

News24 earlier reported that Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi alleged that two men went to the home, and had an argument with Mdeliswa’s brother.

It is alleged that, when the actress went to address the two men, the situation escalated and one of them grabbed his friend’s firearm and allegedly shot the actress.

The two men fled allegedly the scene.

The actress was known to millions of SABC 1 viewers as Khanya on the IsiNdebele drama series, Ikani.