Kunene set to step down amid probe; US Bill targets SA: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
Graphic: Sharlene Rood/News24
News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature.
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'My life's been turned upside down': Claims of unpaid salaries, student neglect at Educor
- INTEC College and Damelin, both owned by Educor, face accusations of poor service, inaccessible portals, delayed feedback, unpaid salaries, and systemic mismanagement, leaving students and staff in limbo.
- The Council on Higher Education (CHE) is investigating Damelin's accredited programmes due to ongoing complaints, while INTEC College students report issues like missing assignment marks and lack of communication.
- Staff members allege unpaid salaries, with one INTEC College employee of 26 years struggling to make ends meet, while Educor has not responded to media queries regarding the allegations.
Two Oceans Marathon drama: Chair steps down as new board looks to steady the ship
- Leadership changes, including the resignation of the chairperson, have created uncertainty for the Two Oceans Marathon.
- The City of Cape Town severed ties with the event due to permit breaches regarding the number of participants in the last race.
- The new board is focused on rebuilding trust with the City and the running community, and will appoint an event management company to help organise future races.
Jaco Marais/Gallo Images/Die Burger
Kunene will be asked to step down as MMC amid probe - PA president Gayton McKenzie
- The Patriotic Alliance (PA) will investigate Kenny Kunene's presence at the home of Katiso "KT" Molefe, who is accused of orchestrating a murder.
- PA president Gayton McKenzie will ask Kunene to step down as Johannesburg Transport MMC and take a one-month break from politics during the investigation.
- Kunene claims he was at Molefe's home accompanying a journalist for an interview and denies any relationship with Molefe.
SA 'sided with communists and terrorists', says US congressman pushing sanctions bill
- US Congressman Ronny Jackson is pushing a bill to review US-South Africa ties and potentially sanction SA officials aligned with US adversaries.
- The bill is motivated by South Africa's relationships with countries like China, Russia, and Iran, as well as its stance on issues like the Israel-ICJ case.
- The legislation's progress is uncertain, with lawmakers currently in recess until September, and tensions between the US and South Africa remain escalated.
Getty Images/Zolnierek
New labour proposals: Double retrenchment pay, relaxed rules for firing
- The Department of Employment and Labour has proposed over 60 amendments to labour laws, including enhanced protection for gig workers and increased retrenchment payments.
- Unions have expressed concerns about some of the proposals, such as the non-recognition of bargaining agreements for new businesses and the narrow definition of unfair labour practices.
- The proposed amendments are in the final drafting stage for Cabinet approval and will be subject to public comment and parliamentary approval before becoming law, with some expecting passage no earlier than 2029.
Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Rassie trims Boks for Rugby Championship: No Faf, newbies make their mark
- The Springboks have announced a 37-man squad for their initial 2025 Rugby Championship matches against Australia, with notable omissions like Faf de Klerk and Lukhanyo Am.
- Coach Rassie Erasmus has invited three Junior Boks (Bathobele Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste, and Haashim Pead) to a two-week training camp ahead of the tournament.
- The squad includes a mix of experienced players and newer faces, with Erasmus emphasising the importance of squad depth and versatility for the competition.
Test track — the new 4WD Renault Duster handled this Grade 1 4x4 jeep track pretty well.
Just how far off-road will the new Renault Duster 4WD take you? Far… but not all the way
- The new Renault Duster 1.2T 6MT 4WD MHEV boasts a muscular design and stylish interior, offering a comfortable ride on various terrains.
- The reviewer noted some drawbacks, including a notchy gearbox, jerky power delivery, and road-biased tyres, limiting its capabilities on challenging 4x4 tracks.
- Despite its limitations, the Duster is considered a well-priced and fuel-efficient option in the medium-sized SUV segment, suitable for most adventures.
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an hour ago
- CNN
Israel is in talks to possibly resettle Palestinians from Gaza in South Sudan
Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas. Six people familiar with the matter confirmed the talks to The Associated Press. It's unclear how far the talks have advanced, but if implemented, the plans would amount to transferring people from one war-ravaged land at risk of famine to another, and raise human rights concerns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to realize US President Donald Trump's vision of relocating much of Gaza's population through what Netanyahu refers to as 'voluntary migration.' Israel has floated similar resettlement proposals with other African nations. 'I think that the right thing to do, even according to the laws of war as I know them, is to allow the population to leave, and then you go in with all your might against the enemy who remains there,' Netanyahu said Tuesday in an interview with i24, and Israeli TV station. He did not make reference to South Sudan. Palestinians, rights groups, and much of the international community have rejected the proposals as a blueprint for forcible expulsion in violation of international law. For South Sudan, such a deal could help it build closer ties to Israel, now the almost unchallenged military power in the Middle East. It is also a potential inroad to Trump, who broached the idea of resettling Gaza's population in February but appears to have backed away in recent months. Israel's foreign ministry declined to comment and South Sudan's foreign minister did not respond to questions about the talks. A US State Department spokesperson said it doesn't comment on private diplomatic conversations. Joe Szlavik, the founder of a US lobbying firm working with South Sudan, said he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the talks. He said an Israeli delegation plans to visit the country to look into the possibility of setting up camps for Palestinians there. No known date has been set for the visit. Israel did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the visit. Szlavik said Israel would likely pay for makeshift camps. Edmund Yakani, who heads a South Sudanese civil society group, said he had also spoken to South Sudanese officials about the talks. Four additional officials with knowledge of the discussions confirmed talks were taking place on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them publicly. Two of the officials, both from Egypt, told AP they've known for months about Israel's efforts to find a country to accept Palestinians, including its contact with South Sudan. They said they've been lobbying South Sudan against taking the Palestinians. Egypt is deeply opposed to plans to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza, with which it shares a border, fearing an influx of refugees into its own territory. The AP previously reported on similar talks initiated by Israel and the US with Sudan and Somalia, countries that are also grappling with war and hunger, and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland. The status of those discussions is not known. Szlavik, who's been hired by South Sudan to improve its relations with the United States, said the US is aware of the discussions with Israel but is not directly involved. South Sudan wants the Trump administration to lift a travel ban on the country and remove sanctions from some South Sudanese elites, said Szlavik. It has already accepted eight individuals swept up in the administration's mass deportations, in what may have been an effort to curry favor. The Trump administration has pressured a number of countries to help facilitate deportations. 'Cash-strapped South Sudan needs any ally, financial gain and diplomatic security it can get,' said Peter Martell, a journalist and author of a book about the country, 'First Raise a Flag.' Israel's Mossad spy agency provided aid to the South Sudanese during their decades-long civil war against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum ahead of independence in 2011, according to the book. The State Department, asked if there was any quid pro quo with South Sudan, said decisions on the issuing of visas are made 'in a way that prioritizes upholding the highest standards for US national security, public safety, and the enforcement of our immigration laws.' Many Palestinians might want to leave Gaza, at least temporarily, to escape the war and a hunger crisis bordering on famine. But they have roundly rejected any permanent resettlement from what they see as an integral part of their national homeland. They fear that Israel will never allow them to return, and that a mass departure would allow it to annex Gaza and reestablish Jewish settlements there, as called for by far-right ministers in the Israeli government. Still, even those Palestinians who want to leave are unlikely to take their chances in South Sudan, among the world's most unstable and conflict-ridden countries. South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that broke out after independence, and which killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine. The oil-rich country is plagued by corruption and relies on international aid to help feed its 11 million people – a challenge that has only grown since the Trump administration made sweeping cuts to foreign assistance. A peace deal reached seven years ago has been fragile and incomplete, and the threat of war returned when the main opposition leader was placed under house arrest this year. Palestinians in particular could find themselves unwelcome. The long war for independence from Sudan pitted the mostly Christian and animist south against the predominantly Arab and Muslim north. Yakani, of the civil society group, said South Sudanese would need to know who is coming and how long they plan to stay, or there could be hostilities due to the 'historical issues with Muslims and Arabs.' 'South Sudan should not become a dumping ground for people,' he said. 'And it should not accept to take people as negotiating chips to improve relations.'
News24
2 hours ago
- News24
Bellville man sentenced to 5 years for hoax bomb threats
A Bellville man's attempt to avoid work backfired spectacularly, landing him in prison for five years. Nursing a hangover and unwilling to face his job, the man decided to make hoax bomb threats as an excuse to stay home. What seemed like a clever way to skip work turned into a costly mistake - instead of a day off, he earned himself a lengthy prison sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder that elaborate excuses can lead to serious legal consequences. The Bellville Regional Court has sentenced Ferdinand Fortuin to five years' direct imprisonment after he contacted the police, telling them that he had planted bombs at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet Offices, and the Bellville taxi rank. According to the NPA, he gave the police hours to evacuate the premises. The accused made these threats following heavy drinking on Sunday, 10 November 2024, and decided that he did not want to go to work on Monday, 11 November 2024. He left his home in Mamre with the hope that the roads leading to Bellville would be closed because of his bomb threats. They were not, and he worked the whole day. The NPA further states that, in his plea and sentencing agreement, Fortuin confessed that he bought a cell phone from a drug user, which he used to make hoax calls to the police and a toll-free emergency number regarding the placement of explosive devices in the buildings, of which one was where he worked. The 50-year-old is said to have contacted the Bellville Police Station on 11 November 2024, informing officers that he had placed explosive devices at the Bellville Department of Water and Sanitation offices, the Transnet Park Building and the Bellville Taxi Rank. This resulted in the deployment of substantial state resources and the evacuation of thousands of people from the three sites. At the Water and Sanitation Department offices on Voortrekker Road, police assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit, using explosive detection canines, and visible policing unit members, evacuated 164 people. Meanwhile, 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police, assisted by the same units, evacuated 250 people from the Transnet Park Building offices, and 3,000 people were evacuated from the taxi rank. The taxi rank was closed, and roads leading to and out of the taxi rank were closed, resulting in huge panic in the area. He was arrested and charged with four counts of contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act 33 of 2004 (POCDATARA) and for contravention of the Explosives Act 26 of 1956. The prescribed minimum sentence is 15 years' direct imprisonment unless the court finds substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence. He was convicted on three counts of POCDATARA, and for purposes of sentencing, the charges were taken together, and he was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment. The court found that he was a first offender, he had pleaded guilty, had strong personal circumstances, had shown remorse, and his acknowledgement of guilt made him a good candidate for a rehabilitative sentence. The NPA accepted the sentence of the court and warned that anyone who makes such threats will face tough consequences.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Israel is in talks to possibly resettle Palestinians from Gaza in South Sudan
Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas. Six people familiar with the matter confirmed the talks to The Associated Press. It's unclear how far the talks have advanced, but if implemented, the plans would amount to transferring people from one war-ravaged land at risk of famine to another, and raise human rights concerns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to realize US President Donald Trump's vision of relocating much of Gaza's population through what Netanyahu refers to as 'voluntary migration.' Israel has floated similar resettlement proposals with other African nations. 'I think that the right thing to do, even according to the laws of war as I know them, is to allow the population to leave, and then you go in with all your might against the enemy who remains there,' Netanyahu said Tuesday in an interview with i24, and Israeli TV station. He did not make reference to South Sudan. Palestinians, rights groups, and much of the international community have rejected the proposals as a blueprint for forcible expulsion in violation of international law. For South Sudan, such a deal could help it build closer ties to Israel, now the almost unchallenged military power in the Middle East. It is also a potential inroad to Trump, who broached the idea of resettling Gaza's population in February but appears to have backed away in recent months. Israel's foreign ministry declined to comment and South Sudan's foreign minister did not respond to questions about the talks. A US State Department spokesperson said it doesn't comment on private diplomatic conversations. Joe Szlavik, the founder of a US lobbying firm working with South Sudan, said he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the talks. He said an Israeli delegation plans to visit the country to look into the possibility of setting up camps for Palestinians there. No known date has been set for the visit. Israel did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the visit. Szlavik said Israel would likely pay for makeshift camps. Edmund Yakani, who heads a South Sudanese civil society group, said he had also spoken to South Sudanese officials about the talks. Four additional officials with knowledge of the discussions confirmed talks were taking place on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them publicly. Two of the officials, both from Egypt, told AP they've known for months about Israel's efforts to find a country to accept Palestinians, including its contact with South Sudan. They said they've been lobbying South Sudan against taking the Palestinians. Egypt is deeply opposed to plans to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza, with which it shares a border, fearing an influx of refugees into its own territory. The AP previously reported on similar talks initiated by Israel and the US with Sudan and Somalia, countries that are also grappling with war and hunger, and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland. The status of those discussions is not known. Szlavik, who's been hired by South Sudan to improve its relations with the United States, said the US is aware of the discussions with Israel but is not directly involved. South Sudan wants the Trump administration to lift a travel ban on the country and remove sanctions from some South Sudanese elites, said Szlavik. It has already accepted eight individuals swept up in the administration's mass deportations, in what may have been an effort to curry favor. The Trump administration has pressured a number of countries to help facilitate deportations. 'Cash-strapped South Sudan needs any ally, financial gain and diplomatic security it can get,' said Peter Martell, a journalist and author of a book about the country, 'First Raise a Flag.' Israel's Mossad spy agency provided aid to the South Sudanese during their decades-long civil war against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum ahead of independence in 2011, according to the book. The State Department, asked if there was any quid pro quo with South Sudan, said decisions on the issuing of visas are made 'in a way that prioritizes upholding the highest standards for US national security, public safety, and the enforcement of our immigration laws.' Many Palestinians might want to leave Gaza, at least temporarily, to escape the war and a hunger crisis bordering on famine. But they have roundly rejected any permanent resettlement from what they see as an integral part of their national homeland. They fear that Israel will never allow them to return, and that a mass departure would allow it to annex Gaza and reestablish Jewish settlements there, as called for by far-right ministers in the Israeli government. Still, even those Palestinians who want to leave are unlikely to take their chances in South Sudan, among the world's most unstable and conflict-ridden countries. South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that broke out after independence, and which killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine. The oil-rich country is plagued by corruption and relies on international aid to help feed its 11 million people – a challenge that has only grown since the Trump administration made sweeping cuts to foreign assistance. A peace deal reached seven years ago has been fragile and incomplete, and the threat of war returned when the main opposition leader was placed under house arrest this year. Palestinians in particular could find themselves unwelcome. The long war for independence from Sudan pitted the mostly Christian and animist south against the predominantly Arab and Muslim north. Yakani, of the civil society group, said South Sudanese would need to know who is coming and how long they plan to stay, or there could be hostilities due to the 'historical issues with Muslims and Arabs.' 'South Sudan should not become a dumping ground for people,' he said. 'And it should not accept to take people as negotiating chips to improve relations.'
