South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 17 February 2022

We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Thursday 17 February.

While we waited for DNA confirmation, we were all confident that the human remains found on the property of murder-accused Daniel Smit belonged to Jerobejin van Wyk from Klawer in the Western Cape.

But for some reason, we are still shocked that it was confirmed.

DNA analysis has confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the human remains found on the property of murder-accused Daniel Smit belong to Jerobejin van Wyk from Klawer in the Western Cape. Meanwhile, another boy from the area, Anelisa Lathitha Sigwebedlana, was reported missing on Wednesday, 16 February.

In some disturbing news, a 41-year-old father pleaded guilty to more than 400 charges related to rape and child pornography in the Gauteng High Court on Wednesday, 16 February. He terrorised his two stepsons and daughter between 2012 and 2021.

Meanwhile, in the Western Cape, another double murder claimed the lives of a young mother and her two-year-old little girl.

How do you deal with the trauma of having your nine-year-old son with you when you find your wife in a pool of blood and your little girl dead in the bath?

It is just such an evil, brutal act…

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday 17 February

Klawer: DNA confirms remains belong to Jerobejin and another boy, 11, reported missing

DNA analysis has confirmed that the human remains found on the property of murder-accused Daniel Smit belong to Jerobejin van Wyk from Klawer in the Western Cape. Meanwhile, another boy from the area, Anelisa Lathitha Sigwebedlana, was reported missing on Wednesday, 16 February.

According to reports, Jerobeijin’s family received confirmation, on Wednesday, that the remains found in Smit’s sewer pipes belong to the 13-year-old who disappeared about two weeks ago.

Smit allegedly spotted the deceased and his friend picking mangoes from a tree and chased after them. He reportedly bumped Jerobejin over before putting his body in the back of his bakkie. The friend managed to escape by hiding in a bin.

Click here to read more.

Father says he raped his stepsons and forced them to violate their sister – pleads guilty to 426 charges

A 41-year-old father pleaded guilty to more than 400 charges related to rape and child pornography in the Gauteng High Court on Wednesday, 16 February. He terrorised his two stepsons and daughter between 2012 and 2021.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the boys were aged between 6 and 14 and the girl was abused from 7 months old until she turned eight.

“These offences took place in their home when the mother of the children was at work and the children were left in his care. 

“When at work he would often ask the minor boys to take pictures of their sister’s private parts and send them to him for his pleasure,” said Mahanjana.

Click here to read more.

Husband and son finds wife stabbed to death and toddler dead in bath

Alfred Manho and his nine-year-old son arrived at their house in Melkhoutfontein near Still Bay on Tuesday.

According to police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie, Alfred and his son could not access the house at first because the front door was locked from the inside.

Alfred let his son climb through the window to open the door from the inside. Upon entering the house, they came upon the gruesome scene.

“They found the 32-year old Annemique Manho lying on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds while the lifeless body of the two-year-old Almique Mahno was found in a bath of water.”

Click here to read more.

TWO new sinkholes appear in Gauteng – shutting down a major highway

Argh, this again! Just weeks after sinkholes were reported near the N1 in Centurion, another geological nightmare has engulfed Gauteng. Two new ‘swallowed earth’ sites have appeared along the R21 near Olifantsfontein, leaving commuters in Midrand to handle an almighty traffic nightmare.

SANRAL confirmed on Wednesday that traffic would be disrupted on the route ‘for some time to come’, after the sinkholes were reported just after 16:00 on 14 February. 

Two lanes have been shut down on the carriageway, and the R21 is facing some serious structural challenges now:

• One sinkhole developed just outside of the road reserve fence boundary.
• The second one is immediately adjacent to the edge of the R21.
• Both sinkholes have an estimated depth of between five-to-six metres.
• Cracks have formed in the road surface, in the two outer lanes used for slower-moving traffic
• Both of the aforementioned lanes have now been shut down, and will be cordoned off ‘for the foreseeable future’
• SANRAL have asked drivers to consider using alternative routes, such as the M18 and M57, which run parallel to the west
  of the R21.

Click here for more information.

Arms deal trial to go ahead as Zuma’s leave for appeal bid DISMISSED

In yet another legal blow for former president Jacob Zuma, the High Court in Pietermaritzburg has dismissed his application for leave to appeal the dismissal of his special plea, paving the way for the beginning of his trial in April.

In the eight-part judgement, Judge Piet Koen ruled that that the arms deal trial should go ahead, with Advocate Billy Downer remaining the prosecutor.

Zuma’s legal team had wanted Downer removed from the case, arguing prosecutorial misconduct. They claim there have been at least a dozen instances where Downer has acted unethically as a prosecutor and were confident that another court, presumably the Supreme Court of Appeal, would agree and order that he be replaced.

Click here to read more.

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Thursday 17 February

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

LIVE TRAFFIC UPDATES FOR CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN

Stay one step ahead of the traffic by viewing our live traffic updates here.

HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Thursday 17 February.