Top 10 stories of the day: Shivambu removed as MK Party SG
Here's your daily news update for Tuesday, 3 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
News today includes the MK party leader has removed Floyd Shivambu as secretary-general of the party.
Meanwhile, the EFF has lost its urgent bid to halt the upcoming increase in the general fuel levy.
Furthermore, in his welcome note at the memorial service of actor Presley Chweneyagae, the mayor of Mahikeng, Tshepiso Mphehlo, reflected on the pinnacle of the province's art scene when Tsosti was released.
Weather tomorrow: 4 June 2025
Damaging waves and strong winds are forecast to impact coastal areas of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, while cold weather is expected across much of the country. Full weather forecast here.
Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.
MK party removes Floyd Shivambu as SG
The MK party leader has removed Floyd Shivambu as secretary-general of the party.
This comes after an investigation into Shivambu's trip to Malawi to visit fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri's Enlightened Church.
Former MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
MK national chair Nathi Nhleko said Shivambu is now deployed as a Member of Parliament.
CONTINUE READING: MK party removes Floyd Shivambu as SG
US extradition of Magashule's ex-PA Moroadi Cholota declared unlawful
The Free State High Court in Bloemfontein has ruled that it does not have jurisdiction to try Moroadi Cholota, the former personal assistant to ex-Free State premier, Ace Magashule.
Judge Philip Loubser, who is presiding over the R255 million asbestos corruption trial, handed down his judgment on Tuesday.
Moroadi Cholota (former PA to Free State Premier Ace Magashule) at the Bloemfontein High Court on 15 April 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Mlungisi Louw
This followed two weeks of testimony from state witnesses Benjamin Calitz and Nicholas 'Nico' Jacobus Gerber, both officers with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, in a trial-within-a-trial relating to Cholota's extradition from the United States (US).
CONTINUE READING: US extradition of Magashule's ex-PA Moroadi Cholota declared unlawful
Fuel levy hike to go ahead as EFF fails in court
The EFF has lost its urgent bid to halt the upcoming increase in the general fuel levy.
The Western Cape High Court in Cape Town ruled against the party on Tuesday, a day before the new levy was set to take effect.
Petrol pumps are pictured at a filling station in Melville on 20 January 2021. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
The EFF had sought an urgent interdict in Part A of its court application to suspend the planned hike of 16 cents per litre for petrol and 15 cents for diesel.
CONTINUE READING: Fuel levy hike to go ahead as EFF fails in court
No fireworks expected, but GDP figures are disappointing — economists
Economists expected no fireworks from the GDP figures for the first quarter of the year, but they all agree that the growth of 0.1% is disappointing.
They even wonder if expecting economic growth of 1% is already a stretch, as the economy was drifting from slow growth to virtually no growth.
Picture: iStock
Jee-A van der Linde, senior economist at Oxford Economics Africa, says the South African economy continued to trend sideways at the start of 2025.
CONTINUE READING: No fireworks expected, but GDP figures are disappointing — economists
Presley Chweneyagae: Mourners gathered at Mmabatho like they did in 2018 for HHP
In his welcome note at the memorial service of actor Presley Chweneyagae, the mayor of Mahikeng, Tshepiso Mphehlo, reflected on the pinnacle of the province's art scene when Tsosti was released.
'That period was a pinnacle period for the arts and culture in Mahikeng,' shared Mphehlo.
The first memorial service of Presley Chweneyagae was hosted in his hometown of Mahikeng. Picture: Presley Oageng Chweneyagae/Facebook
The memorial service is being held at the Mmabatho Convention Centre for the late 40-year-old actor, who passed away a week ago.
CONTINUE READING: Presley Chweneyagae: Mourners gathered at Mmabatho like they did in 2018 for HHP
Here are five more stories of the day:
Yesterday's News recap
READ HERE: Likhona killed for being lesbian? | Slain Kutlwano's 'wrong' gender | inmates boycott graduation
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Is the NPA failing South Africa? A deep dive into incompetence and corruption
The Bloemfontein High Court found that Moroadi Cholota's extradition to South Africa from the US was illegal. Image: Dimpho Maja / Independent Newspapers The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is facing a crisis of credibility, with a string of failed cases and allegations of incompetence and corruption. The recent decision by the Free State High Court to withdraw charges against Moroadi Cholota, the former assistant to former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, has highlighted the NPA's struggles. According to legal experts and political commentators, the NPA's challenges are deep-seated and multifaceted. According to Richard Spoor, a legal expert, the NPA's problems are rooted in a lack of leadership, inadequate resources, and a failure to retain skilled personnel. In the Cholota case, the NPA failed to follow the correct procedure for extraditing her from the US, leading to the charges being withdrawn. In other cases, such as the Koko and Nulane cases, the NPA has been accused of failing to secure cooperation from key witnesses. In October 2022, Matshela Koko and seven other people, including members of his family, were arrested on corruption charges relating to an Eskom contract. He was accused of soliciting bribes from Eskom contractors, who received lucrative contracts at Kusile Power Station. He was released a year later, and the court ruled that there was an unreasonable delay on the part of the State to proceed with the trial. Iqbal Sharma, the head of Nulane Investments, was also acquitted by Bloemfontein High Court Judge Nompumelelo Gusha, who said both the police and the NPA had been inept in their handling of the Nulane Investments fraud and money laundering case they had been facing. The NPA's failures have also been highlighted in several high-profile cases. In the case of former president Jacob Zuma, the authority has been accused of delaying and hindering prosecution. In Duduzane Zuma's case, the NPA's case collapsed due to a lack of evidence. The authority is currently pursuing an appeal against Nigerian pastor Tim Omotoso, who faced trial for approximately eight years on allegations of rape. Omotoso was acquitted after the NPA could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was complicit, leaving the South African public outraged. NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga did not respond to questions on what challenges the authority had or whether there was a lack of political support. However, responding to questions from journalists after the Cholota case, he said the NPA was "taken aback by the judgment" because the NPA believed Cholota and her lawyers were effectively appealing against the United States judgment, which permitted her extradition from there. Experts believe the NPA's problems are exacerbated by a lack of political will to support the institution. Spoor said the ruling by the Free State High Court on Cholota's extradition highlighted a consistent pattern of failure on the NPA to prosecute high-level corruption cases effectively. "The underlying reason for the ruling is that her extradition from the US was not done in accordance with international law in that the wrong procedure was followed because the request should have been made by the national Department of International Relations and Cooperation, not by the provincial authorities as has happened in this case," Spoor said. He added that the National Director of Public Prosecutions charged Cholota with offences other than the offence for which she was extradited. "This violates the so-called 'speciality principle' which is designed to protect the rights of the extradited person and to uphold the integrity of the extradition process. There are also suggestions that the NDPP lied when it made representations to the US authorities," Spoor said. Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the NPA's failures have given the impression that the institution has been weaponised against certain individuals. "The NPA has not displayed the same appetite for prosecuting cases where a prima facie case has been established," Seepe said. "Bungling the NPA undermines the entire criminal justice system. This has given the impression that the institution has been weaponised against individuals who are regarded as a problem by the current political administration. "Former Chief Justice Zondo is the latest to express himself on Phala Phala, pointing out that Ramaphosa should have resigned. Advocate Ngalwana SC has pronounced himself much earlier on the subject. "The same NPA was eager to frivolously charge the likes of Carl Niehaus for violating the Covid-19 regulations… We know for a fact that it did the same when it targeted Duduzane Zuma. The case against him collapsed," Seepe said. He added: "The Koko case, the Nulane case, and that of Cholota give credence to an institution that has allowed itself to be embroiled in the factional battles of the ANC… Ordinarily, such repeated bungling should have led to the resignation of the individuals involved. Alternatively, they should have been fired." Experts contend that the NPA's problems are systemic and require a comprehensive solution. Sandile Swana, a political analyst, said the NPA's problems are rooted in corruption and incompetence. "The NPA, province by province, a significant number of prosecutors are corrupt," Swana said. "In other words, they are easily manipulated by powerful professionals, well-managed criminals, and criminal syndicates." He added that coordination between detectives and the NPA is substandard. "The engagement between the SAPS and the NPA prosecutors long before anybody is charged should test the quality of charges, the quality of any submissions that should be made," he said. He added that the quality of personnel the NPA possesses, including its leader, Shamila Batohi, was below the standard that is required to prosecute crime successfully in South Africa. [email protected] [email protected]
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
City of Joburg mayor Dada Morero insists ‘Bomb Squad' appointment is not a sign of weakness
Joburg mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad' to tackle challenges across the city would show that he's failing to address those problems on his own. Image: IOL Graphic City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has denied that appointing the 'Bomb Squad', a team comprising ANC- and EFF-linked members, former city managers, and executives, indicates weakness or a failure to address the city's ongoing challenges. Earlier, IOL News reported that the team was officially announced on Thursday during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown. Morero said the team will focus on addressing 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, service delivery bottlenecks, and fast-tracking municipal turnaround efforts. He insisted the initiative does not reflect an inability on his part to govern effectively, and blamed the city's decline on previous administrations. 'It's not a thing that is acknowledged in the decline that has happened in the city since 2016, and now we want to arrest and change this,' Morero said. 'In general, the city has resources out there.' Herman Mashaba, the leader of ActionSA, led the administration in 2016. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The metro faces multiple challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling blackouts, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic signals, rampant crime, and municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the city's inability to resolve these issues. Morero first introduced the Bomb Squad during his State of the City Address (SOCA) in May. The team is led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala and includes several figures, such as former city managers Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Also joining are Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, and Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief financial officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent the South African Local Government Association, focusing on governance. Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management. Meanwhile, Busani Ngwani, of the National School of Government and the Group Performance Audit Committee, will work on improving governance. The team also includes Dr. Kwezi Mabasa of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development planning. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will handle private sector partnerships. Morero said most of the members are volunteering their services and are already employed within Johannesburg or other municipalities. Only Zikalala will receive a salary, he said. 'You are saying we volunteer our money, our time, resources, and expertise to help you turn around,' Morero said. 'We have acknowledged that we've had a stubborn environment in changing our financial status.' He said the city needs at least three financial experts to help turn around its finances, addressing issues such as overspending and budget inefficiencies. 'That is why we believe this team will give the necessary support to the current executives who do accept that, yes, there are inefficiencies,' he told the media. 'I also had a meeting with the executives to introduce the Bomb Squad, which was widely received.' Morero said the mayoral committee supports the initiative and has even proposed additional names. 'They've made other recommendations with the collective ownership of the mayoral committee. It's not a duplication, it's a support mechanism where there are gaps and weaknesses,' he said. He added that while there is no timeline for the 'Bomb Squad,' they hope to see major progress within the next year. He said he aims to leave a financial surplus of R5 billion by June 2026. 'We want to grow the economy of the city by another 1% to 3% in the next five years,' Morero said. 'It requires that those focusing on economic growth help us implement policies to achieve that goal.' He emphasised that the team's mandate is to support, not replace existing city departments and enhance service delivery. 'These are individuals who are not employed by the city but are volunteering to give support and share their expertise,' Morero said. IOL Politics
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
ANC, EFF members join 'Bomb Squad' to help turn things around in Joburg at no pay
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and Dr. Snuki Zikalala announce the new 'Bomb Squad' task team during a media briefing at the Soweto Hotel, Kliptown. Image: Timothy Bernad/African Neww Agency (ANA) ANC-linked members, former city managers, and EFF members have been roped in to form a part of a task team called the 'Bomb Squad,' aimed at tackling the City of Johannesburg's service delivery issues and governance challenges. The team was officially announced on Thursday at the Soweto Hotel in Kliptown by City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero. Addressing the media, Morero said the unit will focus on combating 'crime and grime,' lawlessness, and service delivery bottlenecks, and to fast-track municipal turnaround efforts. 'Business intelligence gathering will be at the core of the Bomb Squad's work,' Morero said. 'This will be executed by holding meetings with relevant authorities to isolate areas vulnerable to land and building invasions and propose proactive interventions.' According to Morero, the team's key objectives include activating rapid response teams in identified service delivery hotspots, acting as the eyes and ears of the executive mayor, and enabling swift interventions to address lawlessness. The initiative comes as the metro is battling with challenges, including hijacked buildings, chronic water shortages, rolling power outages, pothole-riddled roads, broken traffic lights, rampant crime, and widespread municipal corruption. Residents have repeatedly voiced frustration over the city's inability to address these persistent issues. During his State of the City Address in May, Morero first announced the formation of the Bomb Squad, which is to be led by ANC Veterans League president Dr. Snuki Zikalala. He said the team's mandate is to identify key problem areas and support city departments in delivering effective services. The 'Bomb Squad' includes several high-profile figures, including former city managers and executives such as Blake Mosley-Lefatole, Mavela Dlamini, and Professor Trevor Fowler. Gerald Dumas, a former chief operations officer, also joins the team, alongside Reggie Boqo, the city's former group chief finance officer. Philisiwe Twala-Tau will represent SALGA with a focus on enforcing good governance principles, while Vicky Shuping, an advisor to the mayor, will coordinate service delivery and urban management efforts. Principal Busani Ngwani, from the National School of Governance and a member of the Group Performance Audit Committee, will focus on governance improvements. In addition to the team are Dr. Kwezi Mabasa, from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and EFF senior researcher Dr. Gumani Tshimomola, both of whom will contribute to economic development strategies, Morero said. Audrey Mothupi, CEO of Systemic Logic Group, will manage partnerships with the private sector. Morero said most of the team members are already employed in Johannesburg or in other municipalities and are volunteering their services. He told the media that only Zikalala will receive a salary.
