South Africa:

Image: GCIS/ Flickr

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Wednesday 26 January 2022

In the latest news in South Africa on Wednesday 26 January 2022, Scopa is expected to request Ramaphosa to explain his comments in a leaked audio recording.

South Africa:

Image: GCIS/ Flickr

We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Wednesday, 26 January 2022.

In some big news, Scopa is expected to request Ramaphosa to explain, in writing, his comments in a leaked audio recording on the use of public funds for party activity.

This comes as Dirks petitioned Scopa to summon Ramaphosa. The State Security Agency will also be asked to make a submission.

Meanwhile,  Western Cape Premier Alan Winde released another statement on the “serious allegations” levelled against DA provincial leader and Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.

The Premier said he was “formally” made aware of the allegations in November 2021 and a number of processes took place before Fritz’s suspension on Sunday night, 23 January.

The leader of the Western Cape Government said he is not in a position to lay criminal charges at the moment. However, he cannot rule out the possibility of charges being brought against Fritz in future if the investigation recommends it is necessary.

In the Eastern Cape, a video of municipal councillor Nanziwe Rulashe being assaulted and dragged out of her office by armed men caused quite a stir. The attackers said the ambush was an instruction from the Amathole district municipality manager.

In KwaZulu-Natal, a 61-year-old man’s ear was hacked off after he was attacked by three men on a farm in Tongaat during the early hours of Tuesday. 

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Wednesday 26 January

Scopa to request Ramaphosa’s written submission over alleged comments in leaked audio

Mervyn Dirks, a serving ANC MP, wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to explain, in writing, his alleged comments in a leaked audio recording on the use of public funds for party activity.

And he is not stopping until it happens!  

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has requested just that. 

Scopa to request Ramaphosa to explain, in writing, his comments in a leaked audio recording on the use of public funds for party activity.

This comes as Dirks petitioned Scopa to summon Ramaphosa. The State Security Agency will also be asked to make a submission.

Click here to read more about this.

‘I am not in a position to lay criminal charges currently’: Winde provides update on Fritz allegations

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde released another statement on the “serious allegations” levelled against DA provincial leader and Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.

The Premier said he was “formally” made aware of the allegations in November 2021 and a number of processes took place before Fritz’s suspension on Sunday night, 23 January.

Winde immediately suspended Fritz on Sunday. He announced it in a short statement that did not disclose the nature of the allegations against the MEC.

It has since been alleged by the media, activists and other sources, that Fritz sexually abused young women within his department.

Click here to read more.

WATCH: Eastern Cape councillor Rulashe assaulted and dragged by armed men

Talk about serious violent disorders. Here is an Eastern Cape councillor Nanziwe Rulashe being roughed up and dragged out of her office by armed men on Monday. The attackers said the ambush was an instruction from the Amathole district municipality manager.

The obvious questions are who did this and why?

According to the reporter, Sisonke Mlamla, the Eastern Cape councillor Nanziwe Rulashe, who is seen kicking and screaming in the video, was at the mercy of security guards as seen in the video. It is said the attack was a command from the local municipal manager.

Additionally, five people were arrested, including the security guard attackers in the video.

Click here to read more about this shocking incident.

BRUTAL! Elderly man’s ear hacked off during a farm attack

Paramedics said a 61-year-old man’s ear was hacked off after he was attacked by three men on a farm in Tongaat during the early hours of Tuesday. 

According to Reaction Unit SA (RUSA) spokesperson Prem Balram, the man is a worker on the farm. 

“The elderly man was asleep in a compound on a farm when suspects broke the door leading into his room at approximately 03:00. 

“They assaulted him and questioned him regards to where the brush cutters were stored. During the assault, the suspects hacked the man’s ear off,” Balram said.

Click here to read more about the brutal attack.

COVID corruption: Here’s the FULL COST of those awful scooter ambulances

What a joke this was. The first few weeks of the pandemic were a wild adjustment for us all, but somehow, the Eastern Cape Department of Health (DoH) and its former MEC Sindiswa Gomba managed to come up with the most useless idea imaginable. We are, of course, talking about those ill-fated scooter ambulances.

The diabolical affair is back in the news this week, after the Presidency released the SIU’s report into COVID-19 corruption. Procurement scandals in Mzansi made international headlines in 2020, and it’s no surprise why.

Billions of rands were chowed by dodgy contracts and irregular tenders, as the ANC government raced to get a handle on the spread of the virus. Sadly, this led to some unscrupulous characters earning big bucks… and backhanders.

Click here to read more.

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Wednesday 26 January

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Wednesday 26 January.