Edgar Lungu funeral feud; State lottery alarm: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
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.
Saxonwold shebeen on sale: Opulence, neglect and the bitter legacy of the Guptas
- The Gupta's Saxonwold compound, once a symbol of state capture and lavish wealth, now stands abandoned and decaying, revealing remnants of luxury and hasty departure.
- The properties, featuring opulent amenities like spas and cinemas, are up for auction after years of legal battles, with proceeds going to creditors.
- The state of the compound reflects the Guptas' fall from power and serves as a reminder of the authorities' failure to bring them to justice for their role in state capture.
ALS Paramedics/Supplied
Missing Comrades Marathon runner was among dozens hospitalised after race
- Moira Harding, a Comrades Marathon runner who went missing for 15 hours after the race, was among 37 runners hospitalised.
- Harding has been discharged from the hospital but has no memory of getting lost and is undergoing treatment for a chest infection and occupational therapy.
- Race organisers and doctors noted an above-average number of runners requiring medical assistance, potentially due to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, exhaustion, and a disorganised finish area.
NSFAS advised to scrap deals worth R1.3bn with IT firms amid student housing crisis
- NSFAS paid more than R1.3 billion to four unaccredited IT companies to disburse student accommodation payments, leading to a student housing crisis.
- A legal opinion advises NSFAS to cancel the contracts due to irregularities, including the IT companies' lack of financial service provider status and failure to properly manage the online portal.
- The student housing crisis has resulted in unsafe living conditions, non-payment issues, and students allegedly trading sex for accommodation, prompting Rental Housing Tribunal hearings.
Philippe Wojazer/pool/AFP
Zambia's Hichilema apologises to Ramaphosa for drama over return of Lungu's body
- Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa for delays in repatriating former president Edgar Lungu's body, caused by tensions between Lungu's family and the Zambian government over funeral arrangements.
- Lungu's family halted the repatriation, accusing the government of sidelining them in decision-making, despite earlier agreements and preparations for a state funeral in Zambia.
- Hichilema declared the national mourning period over, urging unity and calm, while the South African government will continue to hold Lungu's remains until the dispute is resolved.
Alarm raised over plans for state-run lottery
- The South African government plans to nationalise the lottery when the current operator's licence expires in 2034, requiring the new Sizekhaya Consortium to help develop state skills and infrastructure.
- Critics warn that a state-run lottery could increase corruption, citing past financial mismanagement in parastatals and government entities.
- The Request for Proposals for the new licence mandates that bidders support the state in developing the capacity to operate the lottery, including transferring technology rights.
Paul Harding/Gallo Images
Proteas Test captain Bavuma ruled out of Zimbabwe series
- Temba Bavuma is out of the Test series against Zimbabwe due to a hamstring injury sustained in the World Test Championship final.
- Keshav Maharaj will captain the Proteas in Bavuma's absence for the two matches in Bulawayo.
- Several key players are being rested, while Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Lesego Senokwane received their first Test call-ups.
DRIVEN | Hyundai enters new energy vehicle tango in SA with fresh Sante Fe Hybrid SUV
- Hyundai SA has introduced its first hybrid vehicle, the Sante Fe Hybrid seven-seater SUV, despite having successful electric cars in global markets.
- The Sante Fe Hybrid features a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor, offering a total output of 175kW and 367Nm, along with various safety and convenience technologies.
- Priced at R1 249 900, the Sante Fe Hybrid Elite AWD comes with a seven-year/200 000km warranty and an eight-year/160 000km warranty for the hybrid battery pack.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Leading conservationist in South Africa denies smuggling rhino horns worth $14m
A leading conservationist in South Africa, charged with smuggling rhino horns worth $14m (£10m), has insisted he has "nothing to hide". In a statement, John Hume, the former owner of what is thought to be the world's largest rhino farm, denied allegations that he trafficked the horns from South Africa to South East Asia. The 83-year-old Mr Hume and five others, including a lawyer and a game reserve manager, have appeared in court on 55 charges, including theft, money laundering and fraud. The group was allegedly part of an international rhino horn trafficking syndicate between 2017 and 2024, prosecutors said. Mr Hume and his co-defendants are accused of smuggling more than 960 horns, obtaining permits to sell them locally, when the true intention was to export the horns to South East Asia, where they are used in traditional medicine. The sale of rhino horns is legal between citizens in South Africa, but exporting them is not allowed. The accused appeared in a magistrate's court in the capital city Pretoria on Tuesday and were granted bail. They did not enter a plea - this is not required in South Africa during an initial court appearance. Mr Hume, however, proclaimed his innocence in a statement. "I have nothing to hide and have fully cooperated with investigators for years," he said. "I categorically reject the allegations against me and maintain that I have never acted unlawfully. I am confident that, once the facts are tested in court, I will be vindicated and my innocence confirmed." Mr Hume's former farm, Platinum Rhino, was home to approximately 2,000 southern white rhinos. He sold the farm in 2023, saying he could no longer continue to support the rhinos, which he had been breeding for over two decades. Mr Hume was born in Zimbabwe and raised on a sheep farm. He made a living developing holiday resorts, before turning his hand to conservation in the 1990s. You may also be interested in: Rhino horns turned radioactive to fight poachers in South Africa Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants PODCAST: Women in South Africa and Zambia protect wildlife from poachers Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Associated Press
South African breeder is accused of $14 million rhino horn smuggling ring
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African prosecutors have accused a well-known rhino breeder of operating a global rhino horn smuggling network alongside five other people. John Hume, 83, owns one of the world's largest rhino herds at his Johannesburg ranch. He and the others are accused of a scheme involving 964 rhino horns valued at $14.1 million. Hume has not publicly commented. Hume was granted $5,000 bond by the Pretoria magistrates court, according to the National Prosecuting Authority, after he and the others handed themselves over to police on Tuesday. Bail conditions included turning over their passports. Prosecutors said they next appear in court on Dec. 9. A seven-year investigation by South African authorities found the suspects allegedly secured permits under false pretenses to buy and sell rhino horns domestically while funneling the horns into illegal markets in Southeast Asia. Under South African law, domestic trade is permitted with valid permits. However, international commercial trade in rhino horn is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. According to a blog promoting the private reserve that he opened in 2009, Hume and his staff at Rhinos of Buffalo Dream Ranch care for over 1,600 rhinos, including over 1,000 that have been bred there. The six suspects, including a lawyer, insurance broker and game reserve manager, are charged with 55 counts including racketeering, fraud, theft and money laundering. The country's environment minister, Dion George, called the investigation 'a powerful demonstration of South Africa's resolve to protect its natural heritage.' South Africa fights an ongoing battle to protect endangered rhinos, with a reported 103 killed between Jan. 1 and March 31, according to the government. Authorities have focused in recent years on criminal syndicates they believe are behind much of the poaching. The country has the world's largest rhino population with an estimated 16,000 to 18,000, according to conservation groups. That includes white rhinos and the critically endangered black ones.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
South African breeder is accused of $14 million rhino horn smuggling ring
JOHANNESBURG — South African prosecutors have accused a well-known rhino breeder of operating a global rhino horn smuggling network alongside five other people. John Hume, 83, owns one of the world's largest rhino herds at his Johannesburg ranch. He and the others are accused of a scheme involving 964 rhino horns valued at $14.1 million. Hume has not publicly commented.
