Cyril Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Image: GCIS/ Flickr

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Wednesday 2 March 2022

In the latest news in South Africa on Wednesday 2 March 2022, the Films and Public Amendment Act has been approved and is in operation.

Cyril Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Image: GCIS/ Flickr

We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Wednesday 2 March.

Be warned! President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the Films and Public Amendment Act, with the new law coming into operation from 1 March 2022. 

The regulations primarily handle the sale, hiring, and streaming of content on numerous digital platforms in the country.

Interestingly, the Act has also introduced stricter regulations surrounding online content distribution, including on social media, in the country.

In other news, Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape, who was arrested by Thai police in October 2020, is eligible to be considered for a royal pardon, which would be granted on important occasions.

According to a report by the Bangkok Post, Oosthuizen was being treated properly in prison, in line with internationally-accepted human rights principles.

In some crime success news, the National Crime Intelligence Anti-Kidnapping Task Team rescued a Vereeniging businessman five days after he was snatched from his premises on Friday morning, 26 February. The police rescued Zaheer Asmal shortly before midnight on Monday.

Even more good news is that the serial killer Brian Mudyiwayana was convicted of six counts of murder, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and a double count of being in South Africa illegally by the Western Cape High Court sitting at the Swellendam Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 28 February.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Wednesday 2 March

Explained: How new Act could land you in jail over revenge porn

President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the Films and Public Amendment Act with the new law coming into operation from 1 March 2022. The regulations primarily handle the sale, hiring and streaming of content on numerous digital platforms in the country.

Interestingly, the Act has also introduced stricter regulations surrounding the distribution of online content, including on social media, in the country.

Click here for more details about the new act.

Ashley Oosthuizen could be considered for a royal pardon [Update]

Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape, who was arrested by Thai police in October 2020, is eligible to be considered for a royal pardon, which would be granted on important occasions.

According to the legal dictionary, a royal pardon is the forgiveness of a crime or offence by the Crown. It remains as an institution in the UK as in many other monarchies such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Cambodia and Thailand.

In former times a pardon might be a free pardon with no other sentence or a conditional pardon where transportation might be substituted for hanging. In the UK it remains an exercise of the royal prerogative but is considered part of the justice system.

According to a report by the Bangkok Post, Oosthuizen was being treated properly in prison, in line with internationally-accepted human rights principles.

Click here to read more.

Police rescue kidnapped businessman and nab three suspects

The National Crime Intelligence Anti-Kidnapping Task Team rescued a Vereeniging businessman five days after he was snatched from his premises on Friday morning, 26 February. The police rescued Zaheer Asmal shortly before midnight on Monday.

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the anti-kidnapping task team – made up of members of the Special Task Force (STF), JMPD and private security – swooped on three identified addresses.

At the first address, in Lenasia South, the victim was found unharmed. The owner of the house – a 70-year-old man from Mozambique – was arrested.

Click here to read more.

Swellendam serial killer convicted of six counts of murder

Serial killer Brian Mudyiwayana was convicted of six counts of murder, a count of robbery with aggravating circumstances and a double count of being in South Africa illegally by the Western Cape High Court sitting at the Swellendam Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 28 February.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Western Cape, Eric Ntabazalila, said the Swelllendam court acquitted the accused of one count of rape.

Mudyiwayana embarked on his killing spree between 2016 and 2017. He murdered five women and a man in Swellendam, Bredasdorp, Mossel Bay and De Doorns during this time period.

Click here to read more.

WATCH: Woman shot in neck before she gets up and runs away

A DISTURBING video has emerged of a woman getting shot in the neck in a parking lot in Umhlanga.

WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO AND NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS

In the video clip, a man and a woman are seen standing outside a white VW Golf with occupants.

While the man is busy with the driver, the woman opens the back door and leans in.

The woman gets shot by someone in the back of the car before she falls to the ground, remains on the ground for a second or two before she gets up, and makes a dash for it.

Click here to watch video and read more.

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Wednesday 2 March

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Wednesday 2 March.