The Lead: Has the NPA messed up again? Karyn Maughan on why Ace Magashule's PA walked free
She's a free woman.
Moroadi Cholota, the former assistant to then-Free State Premier Ace Magashule, has won her special plea against the National Prosecuting Authority.
The Free State High Court in Bloemfontein declared her extradition from the United States 'unlawful' following a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that only the justice minister may request extradition.
The ruling leaves the NPA with a bloody nose, and many legal experts have warned that this trial-within-a-trial may have far-reaching consequences. To decipher what this all means, legal journalist Karyn Maughan joins us in this edition of The Lead.
Later in the show, Graeme Raubenheimer discusses the AARTO Act's consequences for errant motorists and snow forecasts nationwide.
You can now send a short voice note of 15 to 20 seconds with your questions or thoughts on this episode to our official The Lead WhatsApp line, that's: +27 72 562 3179. Mail your comments to thelead@24.com. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Listen on YouTube:
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump Adviser Urges Immigration Investigation Into Elon Musk's Past as "Illegal Alien"
As Elon Musk and Donald Trump's bromance experiences a rapid but totally predictable disassembly, Musk's archnemesis Steve Bannon is calling on the president to investigate the world's richest man's dubious immigration history. "They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status, because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon told the New York Times on Thursday. He also declared that Musk should be investigated for his alleged drug habit. Bannon was a former chief strategist to Trump. He no longer holds the role in an official capacity, but remains an informal adviser and an influential voice on the American far right. Musk and Trump traded blows on their respective personal social media playgrounds this week, not long after Musk suddenly announced that his time as a "special government employee" was over. Once out of the White House, it didn't take long for things to escalate from Musk blasting the president's newly proposed spending bill, to Trump threatening to cancel Elon's billions of dollars worth of government contracts, to Musk clapping back by saying he'd cut off NASA's invaluable access to his spacecraft. Musk also really went off the rails by shouting from the rooftops of X that Trump is in the unreleased Epstein files, and then agreeing that the president should be impeached. We can only imagine the pure schadenfreude bliss that Bannon must be experiencing right now. He's made no secret of his contempt for Musk, who he's previously called a "toddler," and "not tough enough," and a "parasitic illegal alien." Some of that is probably his jealousy speaking: Musk had replaced Bannon as the president's golden boy, a role he lost when Trump kicked Bannon kicked to the curb for stealing the limelight during his first term in office. Bannon, an alleged white supremacist, has always been skeptical of Musk's sudden realignment with the MAGA movement, and has constantly chided the Silicon-Valley-liberal turned Texas-based-technocrat for not being conservative — or racist — enough. So you can bet he's making the most of Musk's downfall, capitalizing on his dubious personal immigration history. Despite his constant slandering of immigrants, the South Africa-born businessman was likely at one point an "illegal" immigrant too, overstaying on a student visa even though he'd dropped out of school to work on his startup. His brother, Kimbal, has admitted to both of them working illegally. Bannon, on top of calling for Musk's deportation, has recommended nationalizing Musk's businesses, too. "President Trump tonight should sign an executive order calling for the Defense Production Act to be called and seize SpaceX tonight before midnight," Bannon said Thursday on an episode of his War Room podcast, as quoted by the Daily Beast. But he faces a fearsome keyboard warrior in Musk, who retaliated in a slur-bedazzled tweet: "Bannon is peak r*tard." Then he doubled down, clarifying that Bannon was, in fact, a "communist r*tard." There's clearly no love being lost between the two. Trump, for his part, is doing his best Don Draper impression. "I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem. The poor guy's got a problem," he said Friday, per CNN. More on Elon Musk: Elon Musk Declares That He's "Immediately" Cutting Off NASA's Access to Space
News24
6 hours ago
- News24
Presiding judge at Senzo Meyiwa's murder trial causes uproar after racial remarks spark controversy
It's been years since Senzo Meyiwa's tragic death left South African soccer fans reeling with sadness. His murder trial has been a complex and emotional journey for all involved, and the presiding judge's latest remarks have thrown a wrench into the works leaving many questions raised about his impartiality in the case. Read more | 'Her presence touched the lives of so many' – Gogo Manzini passes away The trial of the five men accused of murdering Senzo Meyiwa, the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, has been marred by controversy. During a court session, Judge Mokgoatlheng made comments suggesting black legal professionals behave unprofessionally compared to their white counterparts. This comes after Judge Mokgoatlheng received a message sent to his registrar - notifying the court that the lawyer representing two of the accused, Adv. Charles Mnisi would not be present in court on Monday, June 9, 2025, because he would be participating in the Comrades Marathon on Sunday and would only be driving back to Gauteng the following day which will be the Monday, June 9, set for the court day. Judge Mokgoatlheng didn't welcome the news positively as he said 'this is what happens in a South Africa run by blacks... I don't think a white advocate would have the gall to ask me that.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ngada Attorneys (@yourladyship01) The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development has expressed grave concern over the judge's remarks. Chairperson Xola Nqola has in an issued statement demanded that Judge Mokgoatlheng withdraw his comments and apologise to the nation. 'Whilst we understand the frustration of the judge, the families and accused with the duration of the trial, it is totally unacceptable to imply black legal professionals act unprofessionally compared to their white counterparts. We urge him to refrain from such gross generalisations,' part of the statement reads. Chairperson Xola Nqola's statement Social media users have weighed in on the issue with many saying they don't believe the judge intended to make a broader comment about race and professionalism but rather he meant to criticise the defense's strategy and it's unfortunate that his words have been widely interpreted as a racial slight, while others want him to recuse himself from the case as they don't trust his ability to remain partial.
News24
6 hours ago
- News24
Starlink users cut off; Taraji P. Henson speaks to us: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. Graphic: Sharlene Rood 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. Chelsea Ogilvie/News24 Cape Town politician off to prison as procedural blunder gave him another day of freedom - Mehmet Vefa Dag, a politician found in contempt of court for defaming Curro Holdings, was briefly released after surrendering due to administrative errors. - Curro Holdings' legal team addressed the confusion with officials, and Dag was later taken into custody and transported to Pollsmoor prison. - The case stems from Dag's defamatory social media posts linking Curro to child pornography and rape, leading to a court order for his imprisonment and restrictions on future statements. Trump didn't just backtrack on 'white genocide' after Musk spat - viral tweet is fake - A screenshot circulating on X falsely claims Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there is no 'white genocide' in South Africa. - There is no evidence the post is real, as it doesn't appear on Trump's verified account or in archives, and has formatting inconsistencies. - The claim plays on tensions between Trump and Elon Musk, and the user who shared it did not clarify its authenticity, fuelling engagement. 'Impractical and even sadistic': Why Gayton McKenzie thinks ministers must fly business class - Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has spent R4.8 million on international travel for himself and his staff since July of last year, justifying business class flights for long-haul trips. - McKenzie defended the travel expenses by stating that international travel is essential for ministers to engage in cooperation treaties and attract events like Formula One, and that ministers need to be effective and avoid illness. - ActionSA criticised the spending, highlighting a R164 000 payment for a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place, and has introduced a bill to reduce ministerial perks and restore fiscal discipline. Gallo Images/Darren Stewart Teacher fired for allegedly awarding marks to pupils based on their 'body shape' - Lindokuhle Siwela, a teacher at Kensington High School, was dismissed for gross misconduct after multiple allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching of Grade 8 pupils. - An arbitrator found Siwela guilty of contravening the Employment of Educators Act, citing consistent and credible testimonies from pupils detailing incidents of sexual harassment, inappropriate comments, and biased grading practices. - The arbitrator declared Siwela unsuitable to work with children and ordered his name to be added to the Child Protection Register, a decision welcomed by the Gauteng Department of Education. SpaceX cuts off illegal Starlink users in SA following Icasa warning - SpaceX has begun suspending Starlink services for users in South Africa due to illegal usage, following a warning from the country's communications regulator, Icasa. - Icasa stated that Starlink's operation in South Africa is illegal because the company has not applied for the necessary communications licence, which requires a 30% BEE ownership. - Some individuals and companies have been exploiting loopholes, such as using roaming packages from licensed countries, to access Starlink in South Africa, leading to the current crackdown. Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Sudden try sprees make these Bulls their sharpest URC vintage yet - The Bulls have been in incredible try-scoring form at home recently, pressing 30 tries in their last four Loftus matches, making them favorites for their URC semi-final against the Sharks. - Despite the Sharks winning their previous encounter this season, key attack-related factors, including the Bulls' devastating home try-scoring record and ability to change gears offensively, favor the Bulls. - Bulls' backline players like David Kriel, who was surprisingly shunned by the Springboks, are in excellent form and could be key to their success, while the Sharks' backline has struggled for attacking flair recently. 'I wanted people to see her': Taraji P. Henson on emotional role in Tyler Perry's Straw - Taraji P. Henson stars in Tyler Perry's 'Straw' as Janiyah, a single mother pushed to her limit, a role Henson deeply connected with due to her own experiences as a single mother. - Henson and Perry hope the film inspires empathy and understanding for single mothers and marginalised women, highlighting their struggles and the need to be seen and heard. - Perry wrote the film to pay homage to unseen women and highlight the financial challenges of poverty, aiming to foster empathy in viewers towards struggling single mothers. Show Comments ()
