Latest news with #Durban
The Herald
4 hours ago
- The Herald
Security guard who died while pursuing robbers hailed a hero
A security officer who was shot dead while pursuing three robbery suspects has been hailed a hero. One Stop officer Vikesh Maniram, 39, who was stationed at Nagiah's butchery in unit 2 Chatsworth was killed when he tried to apprehend the suspects, who fled in a taxi after robbing a tote. His distraught mother, Premie Maniram, said she was devastated by her only son's death. 'He left home on the day without saying goodbye, which is something he normally does not do. He was a lovely, joyful child,' said Premie. She said their bond was strong and coming to terms with the loss was not easy. 'It's been heartbreaking. Though I have been getting support from family and friends, when a loved one is gone the loss is unbearable. He died a hero.' She said her son's employees called to give her the grim news. Premie said her son and daughter Reshma Olivier, 36, who is a policewoman, shared a passion for serving the community. A distraught Reshma said she had gone to church and missed calls from her family alerting her to the news. 'I had missed calls from my father and my brother-in-law which preceded a call from one of the managers at One Stop, who eventually told me the tragic news. In retrospect, I don't know if it was good because we would have rushed straight to the crime scene and seen my brother with a bullet through his upper chest. 'My brother made people feel safe. People knew he was helpful and the minute they would see the One Stop security vehicle all their fears would be allayed,' she said. Olivier said she had shared good childhood memories with her brother. Through their work in law enforcement they had also forged a strong bond which involved talking about suspects. 'It was such a common factor. My father too is also a retired policeman and my husband is also in the police force,' she said. One Stop group's spokesperson Maveshin Odayar said Maniram's death had taken a heavy toll on the company. He said Maniram would be remembered for his dedication. 'He was annoyingly dedicated to his job. He was attentive and went beyond the call of duty in exercising his duties,' said Odayar. 'We just have to wait for the law to take its course,' he said. Maniram, who is survived by his 11-year-old daughter and fiancé, will be laid to rest on Wednesday at his home in Newlands East. TimesLIVE
Mail & Guardian
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Top cop Shadrack Sibiya suspended amid inquiry into disbanding of political killings task team
Deputy commissioner for crime detection Shadrack Sibiya. (X) National police commissioner Sibiya's suspension comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa On Tuesday, Masemola told journalists in Durban that Sibiya had been served with a formal instruction to vacate his post temporarily while the matter is under investigation. 'I saw on the news that he says he has been served. Yes, he has been instructed to stay home while investigations regarding the matter are ongoing,' Masemola said after receiving a memorandum from protesters who had marched to his office to give him a memorandum in support of Mkhwanazi. Masemola confirmed that documents had been submitted to the State Security Agency and that departmental processes were under way. He said the police service does not normally comment on internal administrative matters but acknowledged that the issue had drawn significant public attention. 'When a matter arises, we allow the internal process to take its course,' he said. 'We do not normally like to discuss details of our departmental processes, but I can confirm that the documents were sent.' Masemola added that decisions about Sibiya's future would depend on the outcome of the internal investigation. 'We will see how the matter proceeds. I do not think I am the right person to comment further at this stage,' he said. Asked whether any other officers had been placed on leave or suspended, Masemola said Sibiya was the only senior police official currently affected. He also fielded questions regarding the future of Mkhwanazi, whose contract is due to expire later this year. Several community organisations and political structures have called for his contract to be renewed, praising his leadership during major police operations in the province. Masemola said decisions regarding provincial commissioners' contracts fall within processes governed by legislation and protocol. 'That matter is between employer and employee. When a contract is about to come to an end, the employer usually approaches the individual three to six months in advance to indicate whether they would like to renew or not,' he said. 'I haven't been told anything yet, and I haven't told him anything either. When we reach that point, we will be able to discuss it.' In his 6 July media briefing, Mkhwanazi said the political killings unit had secured more than 100 convictions before its disbandment in late 2023, shortly after investigators began linking firearms to unsolved murders involving high-profile people. On Tuesday, Masemola acknowledged the public's right to demonstrate but urged South Africans to allow police operations to continue without disruption. 'This is unprecedented. We have taken note of that, let us allow the processes to unfold and give the police space to do their work.' He also responded to concerns that a nationwide shutdown could threaten national security. 'I am calling upon the community and the rest of South Africa to respect the democratic process that is in place,' he said. 'Let us go on with our lives and give the police time to do their work.'
The Herald
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald
Bessent no-show, Brics tensions set to cast shadow over Durban G20 meeting
'Policy uncertainty is the biggest theme now,' South African Reserve Bank deputy governor Fundi Tshazibana told Reuters. The G20 has its origins in past crisis firefighting and took off as countries around the world saw a need to co-ordinate policies to emerge from the global financial crisis of the late 2000s. 'The G20 was built around a presumption that all the world's major economies shared a common interest in a stable, relatively open global economy,' said Brad Setser of the Council on Foreign Relations. 'But Trump doesn't care about stability and wants a more closed global economy.' The Durban gathering of finance chiefs on Thursday and Friday also unfolds against a backdrop of mounting economic pressures, particularly for African economies. Sub-Saharan Africa's external debt has ballooned to $800bn (R14.24-trillion), or 45% of GDP, according to Goldman Sachs, while traditional funding sources are drying up. Chinese lending has slowed to a trickle after years of expansion, leaving an $80bn (R1.42-trillion) financing gap. 'The views they've expressed are if you negotiate them down before taking the loan, they will go with that,' said Trevor Manuel, former finance minister of South Africa who is leading the Africa Expert Panel of the G20. 'But once the loan is made, they expect a return and that is embedded in their legislation. So that is one issue that needs a lot of attention.' China's Belt and Road Initiative has brought significant resources to the African continent, 'but there are also the offsets', said Manuel. 'I think that part of the push in future is greater transparency, which means some of the barter arrangements and so on need to be dealt with differently.'
The Herald
20 hours ago
- The Herald
Man who killed woman in 'heinous' knife attack declared unfit for trial
'He is unable to understand the wrongfulness of his actions. I will discuss the report with [the] director of public prosecutions,' said Govender. Beare was admitted to hospital after an order made by the magistrate's court in terms of the criminal procedure act. The Hoosen-Preston and Beare families were known to each other and lived in the same suburb, Glenmore, in Durban. In a letter submitted to the state and seen by TimesLIVE, the Fort Napier psychiatric hospital manager confirmed Beare was admitted at the institution on April 15 for evaluation. The report conducted by state psychiatrists Shaun Hain and Soobiah Moodley, who assessed him independently, concluded Beare is mentally ill and not capable of following court proceedings or instructing his attorney. Beare underwent psychiatric interviews, physical and neurological examinations and urine multi-drug screening and was kept under observation by the psychiatric nursing staff. They concluded he was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions. Bail proceedings have been marred by delays. A month after the arrest, bail proceedings stood down after the defence requested a mental health assessment. Last month the matter was again adjourned as the medical report from Fort Napier hospital was pending. Beare, the adopted son of businessman Julian Beare, was arrested moments after the murder. The matter was adjourned to August 15 for regional court allocation. TimesLIVE
News24
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News24
RHOD's Londie London on heated clash with Minnie Ntuli: ‘I was proud of how I handled myself'
After a whirlwind fifth season of The Real Housewives of Durban (RHOD) came to a close with reunion no-shows and explosive never-before-seen footage, Londiwe 'Londie London' Zulu is feeling vindicated. Londie's brief return to RHOD since her debut in season two stirred issues between her and Minnie Ntuli, a friend of the show and co-host of The Uprising morning show with Felix Hlophe on Gagasi FM. The last leg of the two-part reunion - which Minnie skipped out in in favour of posting her own 'un-reunion' online - revealed a clip of Londie and Minnie attempting a sit-down to hash out their issues. This turned heated as Minnie accused Londie of coming for her parents and aggressively poked Londie twice on her forehead, leaving fellow RHOD castmates and viewers in shock. Londie shares, 'It was definitely surreal seeing that scene again. But, honestly, I was proud of how I handled myself. 'I didn't allow myself to be baited into anything that doesn't reflect who I am. I always carry myself with intention: I'm a mother, a daughter and a businesswoman. So, maintaining my composure, even in a heated moment, was a big win for me.' Since the final reunion part's airing, both Gagasi FM and Minnie have released statements acknowledging and denouncing Minnie's actions on the show, with the KwaZulu-Natal-based radio station switching out Minnie for Gagasi Sunday Groove radio host Nonkululeko 'Nkulee' Mbatha for their morning show. Part of Minnie's statement reads, 'This experience has made me realise the ripple effect of my behaviour — I've disappointed my family, my friends, my clients, and most importantly, the loyal listeners who tune in to my show every weekday. 'Because of this, I've decided to take some time off to reflect, to seek healing and to work on myself with the help of counselling. I will also be using this time to personally reach out to those I have hurt and to actively begin the process of atonement.' On if she's spoken to Minnie since the reunion aired, Londie reveals, 'No but she did try to reach out via a text message apologising in private. Which is quite different from the statement she released. It is quite disappointing that I was humiliated in public but I'm not getting a proper apology directed to me in public.' Fans of the reality show have been rallying behind Londie since the show's conclusion, with tens of thousands signing petitions to remove Minnie from media and television platforms. Fellow housewives including Sorisha Naidoo have also called for Londie's full-time return to the show and Londie shares how she would be open to returning on a full-time basis. 'I've always loved being part of the show. It's not just about the cameras, it's about the real relationships I've built with some of the women. There's genuine history and love there, and I'd be open to continuing that journey,' she explains. As a final note, Londie shares a few words of appreciation for her supporters. 'My heart is so full. The amount of love and support I've received has been truly overwhelming, in the best way. I'm so grateful to every single person who's stood by me and sent messages of encouragement. I've never experienced this kind of warmth before and I don't take it for granted.'
