Johannesburg Councillor Demands Apology from City After Wrongful Arrest
A Johannesburg councillor, Nkosikhona Khanyile, who was arrested along with 22 others in connection with the alleged hijacking of an R40 million building owned by the city, has been released without any charges, reports TimesLIVE. Khanyile, an Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) ward 65 councillor, was arrested during a sting operation related to the alleged hijacking of the property intended for use as a metro car pound and temporary accommodation for victims of a building fire. While Khanyile and the co-accused were expected to face various charges, including malicious damage to council property and building hijacking, only one person, Dylan Mangena, appeared in court on a fraud charge. The rest were released due to a lack of evidence. Khanyile claimed that he had previously raised concerns about the property's state and had cooperated with city officials to address the issue. He called for an apology from the city, stating that his arrest had negatively impacted him.
Trevor Noah Will Not be Paid R33 Million for a TV Advert
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) says comedian Trevor Noah will not be paid R33 million to be a part of an advertising campaign for the country. News24 reported on Friday that the former U.S. TV show host would be paid that amount for a five-minute video to promote South Africa to the world. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille said Noah's bill would be footed by the TBCSA and no government funding would be spent on the project - which Noah confirmed in an interview with East Coast Radio. TimesLIVE is quoting Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, the CEO of the TBCSA, as saying that Noah offered a discount on his usual rate. It is understood the R33 million is for the total cost of the campaign.
True Crime TikToker Apologises for False Murder Accusation
A South African teacher, Craig Wainwright, living in South Korea was falsely accused of murdering his American wife, Ashley King, after a true crime TikTok influencer questioned her "suspicious" death, reports News24. The influencer, True Crime Mama, has since apologised for her posts and the South Korean authorities have confirmed that the death was an accident. The victim's husband has said that he is devastated by the false accusations and just wants to grieve his wife in peace. He has also revealed that she had been struggling with chronic pain and addiction to opioid medication in the months leading up to her death.
