Undersea Cables Snap, Disrupting Internet Traffic in South Africa
Two critical undersea cables that connect South Africa to the internet - the West Africa Cable System (WACS) and the South Atlantic Telecommunications Cable number three (SAT-3) - snapped on August 6th due to a rockfall in the Congo Canyon, reports News24. This disruption has led to internet outages, causing certain websites to load slowly or not function at all. Openserve and Vodacom, two major internet service providers in South Africa, are working to mitigate the impact of cable breaks by using alternative cables and routes. The cables are expected to be repaired by the second week of September, weather permitting.
Anti-Poaching Manager Killed by Hippo in Kruger National Park
Kobus de Wet, the manager of South African National Parks' Environmental Crime Investigations unit, was killed by a hippo while camping at Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga during an anti-poaching campaign, reports IOL. He played a significant role in apprehending and convicting poachers. SANParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla said De Wet was "very instrumental in the arrest and conviction of many poachers who are now behind bars. We pass our heartfelt condolences to his family during difficult time." De Wet had "contributed a lot" to the arrest of Simon Ernesto Valoi, also known as "Navara", a notorious Mozambican rhino poaching kingpin. Valoi was nabbed in July last year in a combined sting operation between Mozambican authorities and the Wildlife Justice Commission, added Phaahla.
eVisa System Being Abused, says Home Affairs Minister
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said 67 Pakistani nationals were denied entry into South Africa at the OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday after they failed to answer questions about how long their visas entitled them to be in the country, reports News24. The minister said the Pakistani nationals were among 268 passengers on a flight from Dubai. They were interviewed by immigration officers, and they were asked about where they were going and where they were going to stay, given that they were coming for the first time. They provided conflicting evidence, like giving names of non-existent hotels and names of alleged relatives, some of whom did not even exist. Motsoaledi said the department had noticed that the newly acquired eVisa system, meant to facilitate easier entry into the country by tourists, was being abused by some nationals. He said the department would be "more vigilant than ever before" to prevent such abuse.
