Pietermaritzburg High Court Deals Double Blow to Former President Jacob Zuma
Former president Jacob Zuma's challenge to the invalidation of his private prosecution of his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has been unanimously dismissed by a full Bench, with costs, News24 reports. This is a second blow for Zuma who on September 11, 2023 lost his appeal of the July 2023 ruling by Judges Gregory Kruger, Jacqui Henriques and Mokgere Masipa, who deemed Zuma's private prosecution against News24 legal journalist Karyn Maughan and senior State advocate Billy Downer, an abuse of power. He was ordered to pay the costs of the appeal judgment.
Court Overturns Mother of Three's Drug Smuggling Sentence
Minkana Elizabeth Makgobo, a mother who was initially sentenced to 16 years in jail for attempting to smuggle Mandrax tablets, has been granted her freedom by the Western Cape High Court, reports TimesLIVE. The court ruled that there had been a "grave miscarriage of justice". Makgobo was found in possession of Mandrax tablets but claimed she didn't know the quantity, and that she had been misled by someone who offered her a job transporting a package. The court found that the magistrate had made errors in not considering alternative sentences and unlawfully ordering the immediate removal of Makgobo's children. As a result, her jail sentence was replaced with a wholly suspended 10-year sentence, and she was released immediately to care for her children and elderly mother.
Durban Rates Boycotters Sue City Over Water, Lights Cutoffs
The Westville Ratepayers Association has filed a legal dispute against the eThekwini Municipality's 2022/23 budget, citing concerns about fruitless and wasteful expenditure, losses of R50 billion over the past five years, and a lack of public participation in the budget process, reports Mail & Guardian. The municipality has responded by saying it will proceed with credit control measures against all who proceed with the Section 102 dispute. The association has submitted a list of 350 boycotting residents to the municipality and says that it is not avoiding payment, but has agreed to pay its municipal bills into a trust account pending the resolution of the dispute. The municipality has said that it will continue implementing credit control measures, including disconnections, where accounts are in arrears. The case is set to be heard in court on Thursday, September 14, 2023.
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Billions Lost to Fatal Road Crashes
The cost of road accidents in South Africa is taking a toll on the economy, with a recent report revealing that fatal crashes cost the country approximately R7.19 million each, reports TimesLIVE. The Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) has cited underperformance due to officers being diverted from their regular duties to handle accidents as a significant issue. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) reported that in 2022, the cost of 10,466 fatal crashes amounted to roughly R186.5 billion, equivalent to 3.3% of GDP. These expenses include lost productivity, medical treatment, cleanup, emergency services, police involvement, funeral costs, and infrastructure damage. The RTMC also noted that road user behaviour is a significant factor in accidents, with pedestrians being particularly vulnerable. The economic impact extends to reduced productivity, lost income, and ongoing costs for victims and their families.
