MKP removes Shivambu; Mbenenge accuser threatened: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day.
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Shivambu removed as MK Party secretary-general, deployed to Parliament
Floyd Shivambu was removed as MK Party secretary-general.
His visit to Shepherd Bushiri's church in Malawi violated the party's constitution.
Shivambu will now be deployed to Parliament as an MP.
Magashule's ex-PA's special plea: Judge rules court has no jurisdiction to try her
Moroadi Cholota, Ace Magashule's former assistant, has avoided prosecution on graft charges related to the Free State asbestos removal tender.
The Free State High Court upheld her special plea, challenging the lawfulness of her extradition from the United States.
The court's decision was based on a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that the power to request extradition lies with the justice minister, not the NPA.
'One bullet is waiting for you' – Death threat left on Mbenenge accuser's desk at court
Andiswa Mengo, a judge's secretary who accused Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge of sexual harassment, received a death threat at her office.
The threat warns her to withdraw her case against Mbenenge or face dire consequences, referencing the upcoming third round of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing.
The Office of the Chief Justice has reported the threat to the police; it will temporarily move Mengo to another location and has informed the tribunal's evidence leader.
Spark Schools launches probe after toxic insecticide found in office coffee, milk
Coffee and milk in the Spark Schools Rosebank office were found to be laced with the highly toxic insecticide terbufos, prompting internal and police investigations.
A staff member suggested the tampering could be linked to dissatisfaction over potential redundancy of 195 posts due to financial pressures.
Spark Schools has reported the incident to the police, initiated an internal investigation, and advised staff to bring their own supplies as a precaution.
Shaunl/Getty Images
SA's biggest beef group hit by foot-and-mouth in Gauteng
A foot-and-mouth disease case was discovered at a Karan Beef feedlot in Gauteng, raising concerns for other producers.
The Department of Agriculture is ordering vaccines from Botswana to mitigate the outbreak and prevent its spread in Gauteng.
While the outbreak is unlikely to cause price increases for consumers, it may impact sector profitability due to export restrictions.
Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
Jaden and THAT wink: 'Get over it,' says Springbok skipper Kolisi
Siya Kolisi defended Jaden Hendrikse's behavior during the URC quarter-final shootout against Munster, dismissing accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct.
Kolisi emphasised that banter and competitive interactions are normal in rugby, and that Hendrikse genuinely experienced cramp during the shootout.
He urged people to 'get over it' and allow players to express themselves, as rugby is entertainment and not everyone can be the same.
Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images
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Washington Post
43 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Cutting off rhinos' horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Cutting off the horns of sedated rhinos with a chainsaw has been viewed by wildlife conservationists in Africa for more than 30 years as a necessary evil to save the iconic endangered species from poaching. They hoped the drastic action was working, but evidence was scarce.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Cutting off rhinos' horns is a contentious last resort to stop poaching. A new study found it works
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Cutting off the horns of sedated rhinos with a chainsaw has been viewed by wildlife conservationists in Africa for more than 30 years as a necessary evil to save the iconic endangered species from poaching. They hoped the drastic action was working, but evidence was scarce. Now, a study published Thursday in the academic journal Science has found that dehorning rhinos has led to a large reduction in poaching in game reserves in and around the Kruger National Park in northern South Africa — an area that's home to 25% of the world's rhinos and is especially vulnerable to poaching. The results of the seven-year study that ended in 2023 are seen as long-awaited evidence that removing rhinos' horns — which needs to be done every one to two years because they grow back — helps them survive, even if the animals lose part of their makeup. Consistently reduced poaching The conclusions seem obvious. Lucrative illegal markets in parts of southeast Asia and China crave rhino horns for use in traditional medicines, and removing the rhinos' horns take away what poachers are after. But Tim Kuiper, a biodiversity scientist at South Africa's Nelson Mandela University and the lead author of the study, said it was new to have long-term data from multiple sites on dehorning rhinos. He said the study, conducted between January 2017 and December 2023, focused on 11 reserves in the Kruger area and compared data from eight that dehorned their rhinos against the three that didn't. It also analyzed data from the reserves before and after they dehorned their rhinos. The study showed that dehorning consistently reduced poaching, Kuiper said. It found that the dehorning of more than 2,000 rhinos resulted in a 78% reduction in poaching in those eight reserves, providing some confirmation that such an invasive intervention was worth it. 'It is a big part of what a rhino is, having a horn,' Kuiper said. 'So having to remove it is kind of a necessary evil, if I can put it that way. But it's very effective. There's no doubt it saved hundreds of rhinos' lives.' South Africa has the largest numbers of black and white rhinos. Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya also have significant populations. There are around 17,500 white rhinos and 6,500 black rhinos left in the world, with black rhino numbers reduced from 70,000 in 1970 to less than 2,500 by the time poaching reached a crisis point in the mid-1990s, according to the Save the Rhino organization. Dehorning was not always accepted Dehorning rhinos started in southern Africa as early as 1989. It has not been accepted without question. There has been opposition from animal rights activists but also questions from conservationists over what impact it has on a rhino's wellbeing, and what a future might look like with more hornless rhinos. Vanessa Duthe, a rhino researcher in South Africa not involved in the study, said rhinos use their horns to defend themselves against predators, to compete for territory and, in the case of black rhinos, to look for food. There is also evidence that dehorned rhinos adjust their movements to live in smaller ranges, she said. She said conservationists don't know the full impacts of dehorning, but research had found it had no adverse effect on rhinos' breeding rates or mortality rates. 'What we do know is that the benefits of dehorning by far outweigh any ecological cost that we're aware of today,' Duthe said. She said dehorning a rhino now takes around 10 minutes and the process causes minimum distress. Blindfolds and earmuffs are put on sedated rhinos during dehorning, which also provides an opportunity to microchip rhinos and collect samples that aid research. Only one part of the battle Conservationists agree that dehorning alone will not end rhino poaching and Kuiper said he saw it as a short-to-mid-term solution. Other efforts like more effective law enforcement and better support for game rangers on the frontline are key. While South Africa has helped pull rhinos back from the threat of extinction, more than 400 rhinos a year are still killed by poachers in the country. The dehorning study was a collaboration between scientists from three South African universities, Oxford University in England and game reserve managers and rangers. It also involved the South African National Parks department, the World Wildlife Fund and the Rhino Recovery Fund. ___ AP Africa news:
News24
an hour ago
- News24
Ahee, Papa Penny, ahee! MKP MP lightens up Safa's appearance in Parliament
Screenshot The attempted grilling of Safa by Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) MP and musician Gezani Kobane, popularly known as Papa Penny, during the association's appearance before the parliamentary portfolio committee for sport on Tuesday left many South Africans in stitches. The musician-turned-politician asked Safa chief financial officer (CFO) Gronie Hluyo why he was still in the employ of Safa when he was facing serious charges of fraud and corruption while other staff members had already faced discipline and suspension. Reading his prepared question, Papa Penny was the talking point after the meeting. Some people called for Parliament to have translators and allow members to speak in their own languages.
