NPA loses High Court bid to seek clarification on Omotoso acquittal
In April, Omotoso and his co-accused were acquitted on an array of charges, including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking.
At the time, Judge Irma Schoeman slammed the State for failing to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The NPA had earlier indicated it might take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
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News24
22 minutes ago
- News24
Energy transitions must be just, sovereign and inclusive
Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images News Ramokgopa pushes inclusive, sovereign energy transition at G20 meeting. Calls for finance reform, pragmatic tech mix, universal energy access. Notes Eskom's improving performance amid domestic energy stability efforts. Electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has called for a pragmatic, inclusive and sovereign approach to the global energy transition, telling G20 counterparts that Africa's development and energy needs cannot be sidelined in the pursuit of climate goals. Addressing delegates at the third G20 Energy Transitions Working Group meeting on Wednesday, held at Sun City in the North West, Ramokgopa said the global move to a low-carbon economy must be guided by justice, inclusion, and the right of countries to determine their own energy pathways. The transition is not only about technology. It must be about solidarity. About sovereignty. About ensuring access and opportunity. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Ramokgopa emphasised that while renewable technologies such as solar, wind, and battery storage are crucial, they alone will not address the complex energy challenges many countries face. He urged for a 'technology-inclusive' approach that includes carbon capture, long-duration storage, and small modular nuclear reactors. 'African countries, and others with legacy baseload infrastructure and constrained grids, require flexibility. Renewables must be part of a broader strategy, not the only strategy,' he said. FINANCIAL BARRIERS Ramokgopa made a strong appeal for reforming global energy finance structures, describing current models as exclusionary and insufficient for the scale of investment needed. He noted that while political commitments to climate finance have been made, delivery remains patchy. 'We must move from pledges to execution. Finance must be a tool of inclusion, not a barrier to participation,' he said, calling for concessional and blended finance to support early-stage and localised projects, and for mechanisms to de-risk investments in high-impact but underserved areas. He argued that energy investment must also support small and medium enterprises, particularly in emerging markets, as part of building resilience and enabling economic participation. The minister's remarks follow a recent announcement by the African Development Bank (AfDB), which on 1 July approved a $474.6 million loan to South Africa for its Infrastructure Governance and Green Growth Programme. The programme is the second phase of the AfDB's support for South Africa's Just Energy Transition and aims to enhance energy security, support green industrialisation and reform the transport sector. The minister warned that structural energy poverty continues to block development across the Global South. 'Over 760 million people globally still live without electricity. More than 2.6 billion rely on unsafe fuels for cooking. These are not statistics – they are mothers, children, workers,' he said, urging the G20 to act decisively to implement Sustainable Development Goal 7. Ramokgopa welcomed past G20 efforts on clean cooking and called for further commitments, particularly in support of scalable solutions for Africa. AFRICA'S ENERGY STORY IS NOT ONE OF DEFICIT Referencing Africa's abundant resources, young population, and industrial ambitions, Ramokgopa pushed back against the notion that the continent is lagging behind. Africa is not a deficit story. It is a story of resilience and ambition. What we lack is access to affordable and patient capital Ramokgopa He urged support for the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Africa Energy Efficiency Strategy, warning that declarations without delivery would only widen inequality. The minister reiterated South Africa's position that each country must determine its own energy trajectory, based on national priorities, energy mix, and existing infrastructure. 'There is no single model. No uniform pace. No imposed prescription,' he said, stressing the principle of energy sovereignty. ESKOM GAINS Outside of G20 discussions, Ramokgopa also noted progress at home in stabilising South Africa's electricity supply. On Tuesday, he congratulated Eskom for achieving significant improvements in its Energy Availability Factor (EAF), a key metric of power station performance. 'Eight of the fourteen power stations are registering EAFs of 70% and higher, including one performing at 91.1%. This is a remarkable improvement from the average low of 48% in early 2023,' he said. Eskom confirmed the figures in a statement, attributing the gains to a steady drop in unplanned outages and consistent implementation of its generation recovery plan. The EAF has now reached 71%, excluding additional support from Kusile Unit 6, which has not yet entered commercial operation. Ramokgopa said the focus now shifts to resolving load reduction measures and stabilising the cost of electricity. 'I do understand the urgency. Announcements will follow soon,' he said.
News24
22 minutes ago
- News24
Ditebogo Phalane murder: Dishonesty and witness intimidation cited, as accused ‘gang member' is denied bail
X The Pretoria North Magistrates' Court has denied bail to Elia Maeka, one of three men accused of the brutal killing of five-year-old Ditebogo Phalane during a hijacking in Soshanguve in May last year. Magistrate Nasneem Khan delivered a scathing ruling, citing community terror, dishonesty and the intimidation of witnesses as the main reasons for her decision. Maeka, alongside his co-accused Ali Sithole and Nido Gumbe, faces charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, after young Ditebogo was shot outside his home as he ran to greet his father. In her ruling, Khan rejected Maeka's claim that he should be released on bail as the breadwinner for his family. The court finds that the applicant failed to discharge the onus that rests on him of establishing, on a balance of probabilities, that exceptional circumstances exist which warrant his release on bail. Bail is denied; the applicant will remain in custody. Magistrate Nasneem Khan Maeka, who had previously abandoned his bail application, claimed then that he cared for his ailing mother and young children. However, the magistrate said this claim was contradicted by the police investigations. Reading from a report by the investigating officer, Sergeant Mashudu Sibasa, Khan noted: 'She [Maeka's mother] told Sergeant Sibasa that if she needed anyone's assistance, she would ask her deceased son's friend, who had, on various occasions, assisted her ... She said the clinic was within walking distance and she did not need assistance from the applicant or anyone else.' Nasneem Khan Furthermore, the court determined that Maeka was not the primary caregiver for the children he claimed to support. A startling revelation in court was that Maeka and his co-accused referred to themselves as the Task Team, an armed gang known for instilling fear across communities – from Soshanguve and Akasia to Mokopane. 'The evidence by the investigating officer suggests that, after the arrest of accused number one, the complainant, Mr Phalane senior, was followed and threatened numerous times. He and his family had to relocate for fear of their lives,' said Khan. Cellphones belonging to Phalane were also allegedly found in the suspects' possession. Maeka further weakened his credibility by failing to disclose a prior conviction for assault, a charge that also involved violence. The applicant, on his first appearance, did not disclose his previous conviction of assault, which also had elements of violence in it. Nasneem Khan The magistrate commended the Soshanguve community for their unwavering support of the Phalane family, calling their presence a sign of the public's intolerance for criminal gangs that prey on innocent people. Ditebogo's murder sparked widespread outrage across the country. The five-year-old was gunned down on 10 May last year, during what police say was a botched hijacking of his father's Toyota Hilux bakkie. Four suspects were arrested, the first two in Soweto on 16 May and another pair later in Atteridgeville through a Hawks intelligence operation. Among items recovered were a firearm believed to be the murder weapon, a car-jamming device and a stolen vehicle. One suspect was reportedly out on bail for similar offences at the time of the arrest. Ditebogo was laid to rest amid an emotional outpouring from the community and a high-ranking police presence. The young boy was remembered as a 'bright and loving light' whose life was cut tragically short. The case has been postponed to 10 September. All three accused remain in custody.
News24
2 hours ago
- News24
SA woman killed in Brazil; R49m for Mashatile kin: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
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