It’s Thursday, 11 June, and this is News Bite with Marcelle Gordon.
Joburg residents will have to brace for higher municipal bills from July, with the City saying the increases are needed to sustain services and upgrade infrastructure. But with poor service delivery already frustrating many communities, residents are asking whether they are getting value for money. The Free Market Foundation has also weighed in on Joburg’s ailing governance, with CEO David Ansara suggesting the city should cut its wage bill by half.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has met with KZN Premier Thami Ntuli and senior diplomats as dozens of foreign nationals continue camping outside Durban’s Home Affairs offices. The UNHCR is questioning the coordination and de-escalation efforts used to handle South Africa’s migration situation. Ntuli has echoed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s line, rejecting xenophobia and lawlessness.
Turning to the courts, the AKA and Tibz murder case has been adjourned to 13 August, after seven men accused of killing rapper AKA and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane appeared in the Durban High Court for a pre-trial conference. Prosecutors allege the murders formed part of a coordinated hit. In Gauteng, former police constable Mandla Buthelezi and co-accused Llewellyn Mayers have pleaded not guilty to killing traffic warden Chesney Keppler in Eldorado Park.
At the Madlanga Commission, Ian Cameron is calling for the suspension of Major-General Feroz Khan, whose name continues to feature in testimony about alleged interference in police investigations. Khan is accused of interfering in the Aeroton drug bust in Joburg, where police seized more than 700 kilograms of cocaine worth around R300-million. Former Gauteng Traffic chief director Samuel Mashaba has also returned to the inquiry, telling the commission that legal limits in his previous role restricted him from investigating some crimes directly.
In Johannesburg, police say they have secured more than 10 statements and video footage as part of the investigation into the Cleveland mass shooting. Twelve people were killed and 15 others wounded in the attack at an informal settlement. SAPS says it is pursuing several leads as it hunts for the suspected 10 gunmen, while crime experts say the shooting appears to have been clearly planned.
In other news we’re keeping an eye on, South Africa has decided to increase its emergency fuel stocks as tensions in the Middle East continue. Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe made the announcement at a Fuel Industry Imbizo in Joburg, saying the plan will be presented to Cabinet.
SPORT
Bafana Bafana are finally back on the world stage, 16 years after Siphiwe Tshabalala lit up FNB Stadium with the opening goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Ronwen Williams and his team face Mexico in Mexico City, with South Africans hoping for another taste of that 2010 magic. Coach Hugo Broos says the team needs no extra motivation ahead of the Azteca test, while Springbok props Trevor Nyakane and Steven Kitshoff have shared what it takes to handle pressure on the global stage.
And finally, Bafana against Mexico at the Azteca, with 2010 memories floating around like national confetti? South Africa is not just watching a football match. We are spiritually dusting off vuvuzelas and pretending we do not still know exactly where we were when Tshabalala scored.
That’s your News Bite for 11 June.
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