Deputy President David Mabuza paid for his own medical costs in Russia

Deputy President David Mabuza paid for his own medical costs when he travelled to Russia for treatment at the end of June.

THE ONLY COSTS TO THE PRESIDENCY INCURRED WERE FOR HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY

In a statement released on Friday, Mabuza’s spokesperson Matshepo Seedat said the DA posed written parliamentary questions to Mabuza about “the Deputy President’s leave period for a scheduled medical consultation in the Russian Federation”.

This included questions on the cost of the trip and Mabuza’s fitness to carry out his responsibilities.

ALSO READ: Where is David Mabuza? Deputy President ‘hasn’t been seen’ for a month

“On the specific matter of the cost of the Deputy President’s flights and medical costs to the Russian Federation, the response informed the official opposition that transport used was a commercial flight paid for at Deputy President’s own personal cost, including for medical costs.

“The only costs incurred by The Presidency related to the Private Secretary who accompanied the Deputy President as per requirement.”

Seedat said Parliament was reminded that the Mabuza, like any other South African, is entitled to choose his preferred medical practitioner.

“In the recent past in Parliament, the Deputy President took South Africans into confidence about him taking ill and how he ended up receiving life-saving treatment from doctors in the Russian Federation.”

He added that the Mabuza is fully competent to execute his responsibilities as delegated by the President.

Meanwhile, last month Twitter was flooded with rumours that Mabuza had passed away on Sunday evening, but a spokesperson for the man fondly known as “The Cat” has confirmed that he is safe and well at his home, certainly not dead.

Mabuza cancelled two scheduled Parliamentary question and answer sessions on 22 July 2020 due to ill health, and Parliament released a statement on Wednesday 22 July saying that Mabuza would be unable to appear as he is not in good health. The statement did not, however, specify what the deputy president is suffering from.

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Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe’s remains to be exhumed, court rules

A court in Zimbabwe has ordered for former president Robert Mugabe’s body to be exhumed and reburied at the national heroes’ shrine in the capital city Harare, two years after the controversial figure died.

The ruling is to the dismay of Mugabe’s children who had fought to have their father’s remains stay buried at his rural home, which is 90 kilometres from Harare.

In her judgement, delivered on Friday, 10 September 2021, Regional magistrate Ruth Moyo found that Bona, Bellarmine and Tinotenda Mugabe had no say in the saga surrounding their father’s reburial as it directly involved their mother, former first lady Grace Mugabe.

Background: Bid to rebury Robert Mugabe

The trio had approached the courts to challenge a ruling made by a traditional court in Zvimba, ordering that Robert Mugabe’s remains be exhumed and reburied at the National Heroes Acre because his widow broke local customs when she gave the go ahead for him to be laid to rest there. She was also fined  five cows and a goat in absentia.

Mugabe passed away in 2019 at the age of 95, two years after he was ousted in a military coup.

The former president’s nephew Leo gave an interview with Voice of America and called the May ruling irrelevant.

“It’s a ruling against a widow and the widow has nothing to do with the burying of her husband. This judgment is irrelevant, if you were to ask me, because in any case, Chief Zvimba does not preside over cases here,” he told the broadcaster.

The irony is that it was Mugabe himself who ordered the creation of the National Heroes Acre shrine, which he saw as a way of honouring those who took part in Zimbabwe’s fight for independence from Britain.

However given the hostilities between Mugabe and members of the Zanu-PF party, which orchestrated his ousting from power, the former leader did not want to be buried there as he feared his political opponents would use his body parts for all kinds of rituals.

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BREAKING: Fire at Eskom’s Kendal Power Station, unit damaged

Eskom has confirmed that a fire erupted at its Kendal Power Station in Mpumalanga.

Details are still sketchy at this stage, however the power utility will soon give an update on the extent of the blaze.

“(Eskom Power Station) confirms that a fire broke out earlier, resulting in damage to unit 1.  As a result unit 2 and unit 3 have tripped as well. Details to follow shortly,” Eskom said in a short tweet on Saturday morning, 11 September 2021.

#Eskom #KendalPowerStation confirms that a fire broke out earlier, resulting in damage to unit 1. As a result unit 2 and unit 3 have tripped as well. Details to follow shortly

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) September 11, 2021

Eskom: Will Kendal Power Station fire cause load-shedding?

At this point it isn’t yet clear whether the blaze which broke out at the Kendal Power Station will have any bearing on electricity supply, particularly given the fact that a unit was damaged.

The power utility already has the tough task of keeping South Africa’s lights on as well as other issues which keep hindering its progress, including corruption.

This sadly isn’t the first time the Kendal Power Station experienced a fire. In February this year, a conveyor belt caught fire. According to the utility, the fire – which came from an ash removal site – was extinguished safely, and no injuries were reported at the time.

“Eskom can confirm that a fire broke out on one of the conveyor belts taking the ash out of the Kendal Power Station this morning. The fire was extinguished and there were no injuries. The belt will be replaced today. The station continues to operate as normal,” the utility’s spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said at the time.

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Mpumalanga: Police hunt for suspects who killed woman in cash robbery

Police in Mpumalanga are on the hunt for two men who are suspected of shooting dead a woman before disappearing with her cash. The 39-year-old woman was killed in Pienaar near Mbombela on Tuesday 7 September.

SAPS spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli confirmed that the suspects, both men, are being sought. The duo attacked the victim while she was in her car after they used their white Mercedes-Benz to obstruct the woman’s vehicle.

SUSPECTS USED WHITE MERCEDES-BENZ

“A manhunt has been launched for the suspects,” Mdhluli told Sowetan.

“According to the information reported, the victim was alone in her vehicle when she was blocked by a white Mercedes-Benz,” he added.

ALSO READ: Phoenix freak shooting: IPID investigates after husband killed

POLICE SUSPECT CASH WAS TAKEN FROM THE VICTIM

According to the report, the suspects approached the woman’s car before opening fire and making off with the woman’s cash.

“It is said that two armed suspects came out from the vehicle and fatally shot her. It is further alleged that the suspects helped themselves to an undisclosed amount of cash,” police spokesperson Mdhluli concluded.

A doctor later arrived on the scene to declare the woman dead.

Meanwhile, police have encouraged the public to assist officers with any information on this report to catch the wanted suspects, call Capt Vusi Thobela on 082 469 1956, or the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111.

Other recently reported major cases in the Mpumalanga area include a police bust-up at a warehouse that contained illicit alcohol. The police confirmed that 12 700 cases of duty-free alcohol worth R15m were captured at the location.

ALSO READ: Man shot in the head, another injured in Amanzimtoti shooting

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NFP leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi to be laid to rest on Saturday

The funeral of  National Freedom Party (NFP) leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi will be held in Ulundi, northern KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.

The former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology died in the Umhlanga Hospital on Monday at the age of 59.

Meanwhile, African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Nomathemba Maseko-Jele has described KaMagwaza-Msibi as a powerful woman who fought against patriarchy.

Maseko-Jele was speaking during the debate on the Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill in the last sitting of the National  Assembly on Friday.

“The late Deputy Minister was a trail blazer. When the role of women in the struggle and in politics is often overlooked even erased, KaMagwaza-Msibi was a powerful woman who has left an indelible mark in South African politics.”

“She was committee to transformation in society, defeating patriarchy and improve the lives of out people. We send our condolences to her family and friends and the National Freedom Party and all who knew her,” adds Maseko-Jele.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted KaMagwaza-Msibi a Special Official Provincial Funeral Category Two.

Family, friends pay tribute to Zanele Magwaza-Msibi:

Parties react to KaMagwaza-Msibi passing

Earlier in the week, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal described the late KaMagwaza-Msibi as a brave and dependable woman while the United Democratic Movement (UDM) has described her as a hard worker who aspired towards changing the political landscape of the country.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) also described her as a courageous and hard-working person.

DA MP Siviwe Gwarube says, “I think what is important is to remember her as someone who was brave and courageous enough to not only step into the arena of being involved in party politics in SA, an industry known to be dominated by politics, and going ahead and taking the road less travelled by establishing her own political party and getting its seat in the National Assembly. We should remember her for her courage and bravery.”

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Raducanu, Fernandez set up battle of teens in US Open final

It will be the Big Apple battle of teenagers in Saturday’s US Open final after Britain’s Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach the title clash at a major, joining Canadian Leylah Fernandez as the duo continued their giant-killing spree.

The final under the lights at the colossal Arthur Ashe Stadium between Fernandez and Raducanu will be the first major final in the Open Era across both the men’s and women’s game to feature two unseeded players.

It will also mark the first Grand Slam final to be contested by two teenagers since the 1999 US Open between Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.

Both Raducanu, 18, and Fernandez, who turned 19 this week, were yet to be born then.

“We first encountered each other because I was born in Toronto and she was Canadian, so we kind of, like, made a little relationship back then,” said Raducanu, whose parents moved to England when she was two-years-old.

“But, yeah, then I played her at junior Wimbledon. Obviously since then we’ve both come very far in our games and as people. Yeah, I’m sure it’s going to be extremely different to when we last encountered each other.”

Raducanu will be hoping for a similar outcome, though. The pair’s previous meeting came in the second round of the Wimbledon juniors in 2018, when Raducanu won 6-2 6-4.

Fernandez was the first to book her spot with yet another upset on Thursday as she took down second seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(3) 4-6 6-4 in the first semi-final.

 

(Teenage) dream final. pic.twitter.com/iKZkHuLAne

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2021

Raducanu wasted little time joining her, wrapping up her contest against Greek Maria Sakkari 6-1 6-4 in 84 minutes to become the first British woman to reach a major final since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.

Playing in just her fourth tour-level tournament, Raducanu has not dropped a set in New York – the first woman to make the US Open final without dropping a set since German Angelique Kerber in 2016.

“Honestly I just can’t believe it. A shock. Crazy,” she said, beaming her ubiquitous smile. “To be in a Grand Slam final at this stage of my career, yeah, I have no words.”

Their fearless tennis has endeared both to the fans, and the crowd will have a tough choice deciding who to back on Saturday.

“They are both young. They play fearless. They have nothing to lose playing against us,” said Sakkari. “I have to give credit to both of them, both of the young girls, that they take their chances. They’re out there fighting for that title.”

A win in the final would see Raducanu jump to 24th in the rankings, a massive climb after starting the hardcourt major ranked 150th in the world.

Left-handed Fernandez, who can make her top-20 debut by winning the US Open, has been no less impressive.

The Canadian has shown she can beat anyone, with victories here over four-times major winner and US champion Naomi Osaka, three-times Grand Slam winner Kerber and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.

She looked at sea against the power of big-hitting Sabalenka at the start of that match, but soon found her groove as her Belarusian opponent squandered her chances.

It was her third win in four matches against top-five players in the world.

“Like my dad would tell me all the time, there’s no limit to my potential to what I can do,” she said. “Every day we just got to keep working hard, we got to keep going for it.

“I think I’ve been doing some things incredible. I don’t know. It’s like I think one word that really stuck to me is ‘magical’ because not only is my run really good but also the way I’m playing right now.”

 

Teens going for titles. pic.twitter.com/w5x1tUOdTG

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2021

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All eyes on Metsimaholo Local Municipality ahead of local government elections

All eyes are on the trouble-ridden Metsimaholo Local Municipality in the Free State ahead of the local government elections on 1 November.

The municipality, which includes Sasolburg in the northern Free State, has been dogged by political infighting and lapses in governance.

In July 2017, the council was dissolved almost a year after the 2016 local government elections, for failing to pass a budget.

It was controlled by a coalition which included the Metsimaholo Community Association and the Democratic Alliance (DA), supported by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Association member of the executive committee, Lennox Mashiya says, “We are forever prepared for whatever may come from the election results. The results will determine as to whether we [are] going to be an outright majority, or we are going into a coalition arrangement.”

Meanwhile, in 2019, long running political battles in the municipality left residents desperately deprived of service delivery.

Political parties unwilling to work together in the local municipality resulted in roads in bad condition, unfinished RDP houses and a R22-million multi-purpose centre that is incomplete.

Metsimaholo Local Municipality put under administration:

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