Let’s wrap up some of the top stories happening in South Africa this week.
CONDOLENCES POUR IN FOLLOWING THE PASSING OF SINGER ZAHARA
Condolences are pouring in following the passing of multi-award-winning AfroPop star Zahara (Bulelwa Mkutukana). The 36-year-old singer/songwriter died in the hospital after being admitted nearly two weeks ago due to liver complications.
Zahara gained fame with her debut album “Loliwe,” which went double platinum in 2011. Over her career, she released five studio albums and became one of South Africa’s most recognized musicians. Social media is filled with tributes and memories from fans and fellow artists.
CONSUMER INFLATION DECREASES IN NOVEMBER
Consumer inflation in South Africa decreased in November to 5.5%, according to Statistics South Africa. This comes after three consecutive months of increases, with October’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 5.9%.
The decline in November is mainly attributed to the monthly decrease in the fuel price index. However, food and non-alcoholic beverages saw a four-month high inflation rate of 9%, driven by the bird flu outbreak. Meat inflation also increased slightly from 3.4% in October to 3.5% in November.
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA TO APPEAL COURT RULING ON ZULU KING MISUZULU’S RECOGNITION
President Cyril Ramaphosa plans to appeal the Pretoria High Court ruling that set aside his recognition of Zulu King Misuzulu. The court found that the President did not follow due processes in accordance with customary law and traditions.
The ruling stated that an investigative committee must be appointed to probe the matter. The Presidency has confirmed that King Misuzulu will remain the identified heir to the throne during the appeal process.
15 DECEMBER IS ‘RUGBY WORLD CUP WIN’ PUBLIC HOLIDAY
President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared December 15, 2023, as a public holiday in South Africa to celebrate the Springboks’ victory at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Paris, France. The national team’s historic achievement is being commemorated with this special public holiday, allowing South Africans to celebrate and honor the rugby team’s success.
The Springboks secured their fourth world title in a heart-stopping clash with New Zealand, ultimately prevailing with a razor-thin 12-11 victory. They’re now the only team with the most Rugby World Cup wins, behind New Zealand with only three titles.
10,000 NEW POLICE OFFICERS GRADUATE TO HELP FIGHT CRIME THIS FESTIVE SEASON
As part of the Project 10k program, the South African Police Service is set to deploy 10,000 new police officers during the festive season. The initiative, established by the police ministry, aims to enhance security and combat crime during the holiday period.
These officers will be strategically deployed in high-crowd areas and entertainment venues across all nine provinces to ensure public safety and maintain law and order during the festive season.
DURBAN BEACHES CLOSED DUE TO POOR WATER QUALITY
Several popular beaches in Durban have been closed by the eThekwini Municipality due to poor water quality. Independent laboratory Talbot conducted tests, revealing elevated levels of e.coli in the waters. The municipality attributes the high e.coli levels to recent heavy rainfall, which washes pollutants from rivers, streams, and stormwater systems into the ocean.
The affected beaches include Wedge, South Beach, Battery Beach, Country Club Beach, Thekwini Beach, Laguna Beach, Westbrook Beach, Bronze Beach, Ansteys Beach, Winklespruit, and Pipeline. The closure is expected to be temporary, with the municipality monitoring water quality closely.
SENZO MEYIWA MURDER-ACCUSED MUZI SIBIYA FOUND GUILTY OF POSSESSION OF DRUGS AND ILLEGAL AMMUNITION
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, one of the individuals accused in the murder of Senzo Meyiwa, has been found guilty of charges related to drug possession and illegal ammunition. The drug possession charge stems from an incident in 2019 when Sibiya was discovered with 10 sachets of drugs in Thembisa. Additionally, he was arrested on May 30, 2020, for having live ammunition in his shack.
Sibiya claimed the firearm belonged to a friend at Vusumuzi Hostel. The verdict in these unrelated charges comes amid ongoing developments in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case.
ESKOM SUSPENDS DAYTIME LOAD SHEDDING FOR LONG WEEKEND
Eskom has announced the suspension of daytime load shedding from Wednesday (13 December 2023) until Monday morning (18 December 2023). The decision comes as a result of unplanned outages totaling 13,375MW and planned maintenance at 7,820MW of generation capacity. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena stated that load shedding would be suspended from 5 am until 4 pm on Thursday.
This move aims to provide relief during the long weekend.
THABO BESTER, CYAN BOUJEE, NADIA NAKAI, SIM DOPE, TYLA ARE SOME OF THE MOST SEARCHED PEOPLE ON GOOGLE THIS YEAR
Google has released its “2023 Year In Search” trends for South Africa, showcasing the most searched terms, people, topics, questions, and events over the past year. Notable areas of interest include celebrities, sporting events, special observed days, recently-deceased personalities, and technology.
Some of the most searched people in South Africa include Thabo Bester, Cyan Boujee, Nadia Nakai, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, Andrew Tate, Derick Hougaard, Steve Harvey, Sim Dope, Anele Tembe, and Tyla.
CITY OF TSHWANE ON HIGH ALERT FOLLOWING CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN ZIMBABWE
The City of Tshwane has declared a state of high alert following a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe. The National Health Department has issued an advisory urging caution in South Africa. The city has implemented measures to facilitate a swift response to potential cholera cases. With increased cross-border travel expected during the festive season, authorities are taking precautions to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
Tshwane residents are advised to be vigilant, especially when consuming tap water.
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