Cape Town —
Update as at 16h30 SAST
About-Turn for Bushiri - Witnesses Ordered to Testify In Malawi
In an about-turn, the High Court of Malawi has ruled today that South Africa-based witnesses in the extradition process against self-proclaimed prophet and pastor, Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary will have to travel to Malawi to give evidence.
The superior court overturned a 2022 ruling by the Chief Resident Magistrate in Lilongwe, Madalitso Chimwanza, who ruled that witnesses could give evidence virtually, while in South Africa, before a South African court, IOL reports. Bushiri and his wife have been accused of fraud and money laundering in South Africa. After a court appearance here, the couple fled to Malawi.
Randall Williams Resigns as Tshwane Mayor
Randall Williams who ousted the ANC from the City of Tshwane in a DA-led coalition in 2020 has resigned, IOL reports. Williams said he wants to "ensure the stability of the multi-party coalition." At the time of taking the reins, Williams had inherited a R4 billion deficit in the city's coffers and said his immediate goal was to stabilise the city's finances. "I do not want the political instability that has taken place in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to spill over into Tshwane," Williams said.
The city has come under fire for incurring an adverse audit opinion from the auditor-general for the 2021/22 financial year.
SANDF Soldier's Remains Returned to Family
The remains of peacekeeper Sergeant Vusi Mabena have been returned to his family at a military ceremony at the Waterkloof Air Base, TimesLive reports. Mabena was killed during an incident where an Oryx helicopter came under fire in Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo a week ago. On Sunday February 13, 2023 - at a ceremony attended by defence minister Thandi Modise and South African National Defence Force members - relatives, friends, soldiers and government officials said they felt desperately sad but immensely proud. The SABC quotes SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya as saying that a board of inquiry into the incident has been instituted.
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Call for Action on Illegal Guns After Rapper, Chef's Deaths
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has called for serious action against illegal guns following the public killings of hip hop star Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his close friend, celebrity chef Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane. "As a state, it's high time that we take a particular stance and attend to this matter," News24 quotes Lesufi as saying. Forbes and Motsoane were shot dead outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban on Friday February 10, 2023. Lawyers representing Forbes's family have confirmed that the late rapper's body has arrived in Johannesburg, the SABC reports.
Power Utility Wants to Buy From Companies Generating Surplus Electricity
State-owned power utility Eskom will go out "in the next few days" with an offer to buy 1,400MW of electricity from companies that are generating more than they need, BusinessLive quotes the head of the project office in the presidency, Rudi Dicks, as saying. Eskom has imposed rolling blackouts (called load shedding) every day so far in 2023, as it is unable to provide reliable electricity supply from its ageing coal-powered plants.
