Bheki Cele beaches Cape Town

Photo: Lirandzu Themba / Twitter

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 7 January

In the latest news in South Africa on Thursday 7 January, Police Minister Bheki Cele comes in for stick for playing Baywatch, while criminals run rampant elsewhere.

Bheki Cele beaches Cape Town

Photo: Lirandzu Themba / Twitter

We take a look at the latest news and headlines on Thursday 7 January 2021. As yet, we don’t know what President Cyril Ramaphosa has decided after his meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council. There is speculation that a return to Level 4 lockdown is on the cards but no announcement has been made as yet.

Police Minister Bheki Cele has been busy patrolling the beaches, and officers were seen chasing hardened surfers off the beach in the Garden Route. Critics of course have slammed Cele for chasing petty criminals off the beach, while gangsterism and rape spread out of control nationwide.

Even actress Khanyi Mbau has weighed in by questioning the government’s ban on alcohol.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday 7 January  

Cele, Dlamini-Zuma ‘pushing for return to Level 4’

Things seem to be escalating at a rapid pace within the NCCC, and it’s alleged that both Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Bheki Cele want a Level 4 lockdown.

According to multiple sources, there is now a real chance that SA could be plunged into Level 4 lockdown restrictions – with two prominent ministers allegedly angling for the return of this tougher phase.

Bloomberg report that some senior members of the NCCC feel the only way forward is to take a step backward: Level 4 would have a major impact on which workplaces are allowed to remain open, and the balance between the economy and public health would rest on a tightrope in this scenario. According to the insiders…

  • Some participants in the NCCC meeting want the country to move to virus alert Level 4.
  • This phase would be implemented for an initial period of 30 days.
  • It’s understood both COGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Police Minister Bheki Cele, are ‘pushing for Level 4’.
  • Cele and Dlamini-Zuma are amongst the most powerful members of the Command Council.
  • There seems to be a split in Cabinet, with some officials worried about the ‘economic impact’ this move would have.
  • Proposals to relax the ban on alcohol sales – and reopen all closed beaches – have also been tabled.

Revealed: Government ‘ignored’ these proposals to prevent alcohol ban

The government is set for a court showdown with South African Breweries (SAB), who have spilled the tea – or even, the Black Label – about proposals they sent to Cabinet for consideration. The industry giants were desperate to avoid an alcohol ban, and even supported the closure of taverns, but their attempts to compromise fell on deaf ears.

SAB released a scathing statement on Wednesday afternoon, insisting that blunt lockdown regulations on liquor have forced hundreds of thousands of citizens into poverty, ultimately doing more harm than good. The booze behemoth listed the actions they believed would both save lives, and breathe life into the economy. They included:

  • Restrictions on trade channels.
  • Moving taverns from on-license to off-license trading – closing bars, but allowing takeaway drinks.
  • Restrictions for trading days and hours at all off-license premises.
  • SAB also said they were ‘fully in agreement’ with an earlier curfew.

Cele slammed for playing ‘cops and surfers’ on beach amid high crime rate

The Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow Minister of Police Andrew Whitfield and Western Cape Minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz have blasted Police Minister Bheki Cele for his “skewed priorities”. The pair believe that Cele is too focused on beaches and citizens on the promenade rather than crimes such as rape, gender-based violence, murder, farm attacks and gang warfare. 

On Wednesday morning, the police ministry posted a video of SAPS members arresting a surfer in Langebaan for breaking Level 3 lockdown rules.   

On Wednesday morning, Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said Cele told Mandy Wiener on Radio 702 that SANDF officers were on their way to the Southern Cape of the WC to assist in enforcing COVID-19 adjusted Level 3 Lockdown regulations. She added that they would also be deployed in the Cape Town area.

Whitfield said the DA condemns the announcement that the SANDF would be roped in to assist SAPS with patrolling beaches in the Garden Route.

KHANYI MBAU QUESTIONS SA’S LATEST ALCOHOL BAN

The South African actress Khanyi Mbau recently urged the government to consider allowing the sale of alcohol for a limited number of days per week to save the liquor industry and the livelihoods of its employees.

She said in a video posted to Twitter that there are people that work in the liquor industry that simply cannot go back to work due to the ban that is currently in place until later in January.

“The reason that I’m raising this is because it’s January, schools are about to reopen, there are families, people that work in the liquor industry that cannot go back to work, earn a living to support their families and make sure that their children go to school,” she said.

According to Times Live, Khanyi, who is also in the alcohol industry and owns a gin brand, said she is worried about her employees.

“I am in the alcohol industry. I have gin. What happens to my staff? What do I do to help them live their lives and have a better 2021 that was better than 2020? I feel like maybe we need to look at another strategy instead of banning it completely, maybe have a few days open just to support the industry so people can live,” she said further.

Two contractors found dead in sewage pit at V&A Waterfront

The bodies of two contractors were discovered at the V&A Waterfront on Tuesday 5 January 2021, just a few days into the New Year. According to police, the bodies of the men were found in a sewage pit behind a hotel in the Waterfront. 

While the V&A Waterfront said it would not be distributing images, it did comment on the fatal incident. 

V&A Waterfront spokesperson Donald Kau could confirm that a fatal incident occurred on Tuesday night involving two contractors. 

“[They] were in the course of undertaking routine maintenance work at one of its sewage pump stations. Emergency medical personnel and the South African Police Services (SAPS) were immediately called onto the scene when the incident occurred and an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the incident,” said Kau.

Savanna Challenge: SA drinkers warned about ‘irresponsible’ new craze

Representatives for Savanna Cider have taken to social media, in a bid to distance themselves from a new viral craze seemingly inspired by the popular beverage. The “Savanna Challenge” has been circulating for the past few weeks, and enthusiastic consumers have taken part in this fad – however, not everyone is impressed…

It’s a simple challenge, but one that has been labelled as “irresponsible and damaging” by brand officials. All you’re required to do is balance one or more bottles of the dry cider on your head, face, back, or chin.

  • It looks something like this…

LATEST WEATHER FORECAST, Thursday 7 January  

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