Transnet CEO Warns of Trucking Job Losses if Rail Improves
South Africa's surge in trucking that's emerged largely due to higher coal prices and train bottlenecks may end in catastrophic job losses in the road transport sector when factors ease, according to the head of the state-owned port and rail company, reports News24. Over 3,500 trucks per day carry mining products across the nation's roads, more than double such traffic in 2020, according to Minerals Council South Africa. CEO of Transnet Portia Derby said that operators in the sector needed to start earnest talks and establish a model that will include truckers long-term. The trucking industry is a major employer in South Africa, and job losses in this sector would have a significant impact on the economy.
Protests Disrupt South African Universities Over Student Financial Aid System
Protests over the National Student Financial Aid Scheme's (NSFAS) payment system have led to campus closures and disruptions at several universities in South Africa, reports TimesLive. Students are demanding that the direct payment system be scrapped, as they say it causes delays in the payment of allowances. NSFAS has said that it is working to address the concerns of students and that it is improving the direct payment system and making it easier for students to access their allowances. The University of Zululand and the University of KwaZulu-Natal have suspended in-person lectures due to disruptions, opting for online classes. Walter Sisulu University's Mthatha campus suspended face-to-face lectures after student protests. Stellenbosch University and University of the Western Cape students have marched against the new payment system. Nelson Mandela University resumed face-to-face lectures after online classes. Similar disruptions occurred at Durban University of Technology, Sol Plaatje University, and Central University of Technology, with various universities resuming normal classes.
Man Mauled to Death by Lions at Dinokeng Game Reserve
A man was mauled to death by lions at the Dinokeng Game Reserve in Gauteng, reports News24. Johannes Matshe, an employee at one of the properties on the reserve was walking on the premises at night when he was attacked. The reserve's spokesperson Hartogh Streicher said that walking on the reserve at night is prohibited and that lions are nocturnal animals that may perceive a person as a normal prey species. The police are investigating the incident.
Zephany Nurse's Kidnapper to Be Released on Parole
Lavona Solomon, who abducted Zephany Nurse as a newborn and raised her as her own child, is set to be released on parole after serving seven years of a ten-year sentence, reports eNCA. Solomon kidnapped Zephany in 1997 and raised her under a different name. Her capture came about when Zephany's biological sister noticed their striking similarity, leading to DNA tests confirming her true identity. In March 2016, the Western Cape High Court convicted Solomon of kidnapping Nurse from Groote Schuur Hospital.
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State Refuses to Pay Compensation to New Marikana Claimants
Solicitor-general Fhedzisani Pandelani said the State does not have a "slush fund" for Marikana-related claims it cannot substantiate, reports News24. He discussed the progress of litigation cases, revealing R330 million had been paid to affected families. Pandelani questioned claims brought by lawyers representing extended relatives seeking compensation, expressing doubt about their validity and the potential waste of taxpayer funds. He emphasized that there is no reserved fund for unrecognized claims, particularly those filed under constitutional damages. The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), which is representing some of the families, has disputed the government's claims, saying that all of the claimants are entitled to compensation and that the government is trying to avoid its legal obligations. The lawsuit is still pending.
