SA soccer players stranded in Portugal, FlySafair's woes: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes

News24

21-07-2025

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.
R135m school project crumbles as Joburg chief whip faces 'construction mafia' allegations
- Sithembiso Zungu, Johannesburg Council's chief whip, is accused of using his position to halt construction projects through coercion and extortion, demanding 'facilitation fees' and dictating local business involvement.
- Zungu defied interdicts, leading to a two-month prison sentence for disrupting a housing project, and is accused of stalling a R135-million school refurbishment project by demanding payments to businesses linked to his ward's business forum.
- Zungu denies the 'construction mafia' allegations, blaming his detractors for trying to tarnish his name and claiming the contractor failed to complete the school refurbishment.
Cape Town parents demand refund after paying 'fees' at a no-fee school
- Parents at Edison Century City High School are angry after discovering they've been paying R1 500 annual fees to what is officially a no-fee school since 2023.
- Parents claim they were pressured into paying, some SGB members who raised concerns were ostracised, and they are demanding refunds.
- The WCED confirms the school is no-fee, stating the R1 500 was introduced as a voluntary donation by the SGB to improve the quality of education, and parents were informed of the school's status.
25 stranded teen soccer players 'safe' in Portugal as Dirco tries to facilitate return
- A group of 25 South African soccer players, aged 13-18, are stranded in Portugal after attending the Donosti Cup in Spain, as their return flights were not secured.
- The players' parents each paid R50 000 for the trip, but logistical issues with flight reservations left them without confirmed return tickets.
- The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) is aware of the situation and is exploring ways to assist, while BT Academy claims visa appointment delays impacted flight arrangements.
Sandton businessman arrested for DJ Sumbody hit
- It is understood that Katiso 'KT' Molefe has been arrested in connection with the murder of DJ Sumbody.
- Molefe and others are already awaiting trial for the murder of Armand Swart.
- Two of Molefe's co-accused also face charges related to an attempted murder of Tebogo Thobejane.
FlySafair scraps flights amid wage strike, says pilots earn up to R2.3m already
- FlySafair confirmed that 8% of its flights were cancelled on Monday due to pilots reporting they would not fly.
- More than 200 FlySafair pilots are expected to strike for two weeks after rejecting the airline's wage agreement offer.
- Solidarity is advocating for industry-competitive salaries and has raised concerns about changes to the roster system impacting pilots' leave.
Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
Oldest living Springbok dies at 96
- Des van Jaarsveldt, the oldest living Springbok and captain of the team in his only Test match, has died at the age of 96.
- Van Jaarsveldt captained the Springboks to victory against Scotland in 1960 and was the only Rhodesian to ever captain the team.
- The SA Rugby Legends Association paid tribute to Van Jaarsveldt, acknowledging his profound impact on the game and his continued support.
Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Miss SA in trouble? Pageant postponed after CEO exit and shaky plans
- Miss South Africa 2025 has been postponed from August to a later date in 2025 to align with international events.
- The Miss South Africa organisation aims to broaden the pageant's reach by expanding its pillars to include entrepreneurship, job creation, cultural awareness, and social cohesion.
- The postponement follows the resignation of CEO Stephanie Weil, leading to fan speculation about the reasons behind the changes and potential impact on Miss Universe 2025 participation.