Cape Town —  

Democracy Turns 28 Today

Today heralds the 28th anniversary year, when South Africans came out in their numbers to vote on April 27,1994. It was the first democratic elections and the first in which black people could vote. Since that time, the citizens hopes and dreams have been tried and tested, with daily reports of corruption, mismanagement and dereliction of duty on the part of government and state institutions.

ANC Takes Stance On Step Aside Rule

Criminally charged leaders, who have been made to step aside from their positions by the ANC, will be barred from contesting any leadership positions in the party.

The party's national executive committee, according to reports, resolved that the guidelines governing the step-aside rule should be amended to explicitly state that leaders facing serious criminal charges cannot be allowed to be elected into office.

Police Officer Arrested In Pangolin Sting Operation

A police officer and four other people were arrested for allegedly selling pangolin in Johannesburg's Midrand. A sting operation was conducted by a police team at a fuel station, where five suspects, three males and two women arrived for an exchange of a pangolin for cash, police spokesperson, Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu said. They will be charged with the illegal dealing of pangolin and contravention of the National Environmental Management-Biodiversity Act. According to the World Wildlife Foundation, pangolin is one of the most trafficked animals, whose habitats are threatened by poaching and deforestation. Pangolin scales are prized for traditional medicine.