Latest news with #Kunene
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lion Kills Wealthy Businessman in Bathroom Trip Gone Wrong
A wealthy philanthropist on an overnight safari in Namibia was mauled to death by a lion as he ventured to use the bathroom. Bernd Kebbel, 59, was killed 'almost instantly' on Friday morning as his wife Conny, 57, listened in horror from their tent, the Daily Mail reported. Kebbel was reportedly sleeping in a tent with his wife above a 4x4 on a campsite when he stepped down in the middle of the night and met his end at a camp in Northern Namibia. Investigating police added that there was not much Kebbel could have done to fend off the attack. 'Thankfully, it would have been quick as a human is no match for a lioness that is in its prime,' a Namibian lion expert told the Mail. 'There are only about 60 desert lions in this region of Kunane where the attack happened and, in this particular area, around the Hoanib Camp, maybe a dozen at the very most.' A lioness locally known as Charlie is suspected of carrying out the attack. Authorities said the lioness will most likely be hunted and killed to prevent further attacks. Kebbel, an avid outdoorsman and businessman, owned the Off-Road-Centre in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, for many years, which bought and sold 4x4 safari vehicles and other accoutrements for wildlife ventures. Kebbel was also known as an avid supporter of wildlife in the area, donating large sums of money to protect the area's lion population, The Sun reported—so much so that an adult male lion was named in his honor. The lion later had to be killed due to becoming a 'problem animal' and attacking local wildlife. Kebbel is survived by his adult children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties, who are reportedly flying home to Windhoek to be with their mother.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Businessman mauled to death by lion after stepping out of his tent to use the toilet during overnight safari
A BUSINESSMAN who spent large sums of money supporting Namibian desert lions has been killed by one of the predators after leaving his tent to use the loo. Dad-of-two Bernd Kebbel, 59, was with his wife Conny on a wildlife expedition at a camp with friends in the north of the country before the horror attack. 1 The tragedy unfolded when Kebbel got up in the early hours of Friday morning. The philanthropist climbed down a ladder from the safety of his rooftop tent mounted on the top of a 4x4, before the beast lunged at him. His desperate screams woke up the rest of the shocked camp in Namibia who rushed to his rescue in the darkness. They bravely chased off the lioness before it could devour its victim. Namibian police said nothing could be done to save the keen outdoorsman who was killed almost instantly in the savage ordeal. His body was covered up until authorities could arrive. It is believed that the lioness with cubs - named by locals as Charlie - may be hunted and shot dead. A Namibian lion expert said: 'Thankfully it would have been quick as a human is no match for a lioness that is in its prime. 'There are only about 60 desert lions in this region of Kunane where the attack happened and in this particular area around the Hoanib Camp maybe a dozen at the very most." The expert added: 'The desert lions have adapted to the harsh and burning desert environment and have become extremely adept night-time hunters as there is no cover for them during the day." The businessman has two grown-up children, Dieter and Heidi, both in their late twenties. They are said to have moved to South Africa where they went to university before pursuing their careers. It is understood they are flying home to comfort their devastated mum Conny, 57, at their home in the capital Windhoek. Kebbel owned the Off-Road-Centre in Namibia's main city Windhoek which bought and sold 4x4 safari vehicles and accessories needed in the wild. Lion expert Izak Smit said that Namibia's most famous lion expert Dr Philip 'Flip' Stander had named an adult male Kebbel in his honour. He said it was to recognise the large sums of money he paid into looking after lions. .
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Here is the deadline for the coming Rea Vaya smart card switch
Rea Vaya commuters will need to purchase a new orange card in order to comply with the upgraded Account Based Ticketing system. Rea Vaya bus service users are reminded to switch out their rider cards before the looming deadline. The bus service will be phasing in the Account Based Ticketing (ABT) system and moving away from the automated fare collection system. The switch is part of a multi-million-rand project to improve the fare collection system, which was implemented to promote cashless operations. New card purchase needed, no refunds The new orange ABT card will be mandatory from 1 July, but the current blue smart card will no longer accept funds from next month. 'Commuters are informed that from 1 June they won't be able to load funds into a blue smart card,' stated Rea Vaya. 'We advise for the funds in the card to be used up as there will be no refund,' the entity clarified. The new orange cards will cost R50 and correspond to newly installed payment processors located at all Rea Vaya stations and buses. Commuters are warned to be mindful of the new system, as they will be subject to fines for not using the new validators correctly. '[A] fare penalty charge of R30 is incurred when passengers tap-in at the beginning of the journey but fail to tap-out at the end of the journey. 'You will also incur a penalty of R30 if you do not tap-out of the system within two hours,' Rea Vaya stated. Rea Vaya Phase 1C The municipality budgeted R300 million over two years to implement the ABT project and R170 million to finish Phase 1C of the Rea Vaya programme. The Rea Vaya routes — Phases 1A, 1B and 1C — are owned by taxi operators and other shareholders under the Bus Operating Company Agreement (Boca) negotiated with the city. The launch of Phase 1C is imminent, after delays in the 12-year agreement sealed with the Alexandra Taxi Association and Alexandra Randburg Midrand Sandton Taxi Association. Rea Vaya has been plagued by management issues, with Phase 1C delayed by the inability to form an operating company, while earlier operators PioTrans needed to go into business rescue in 2023. MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene stated that the Johannesburg Development Agency has assisted with infrastructure challenges and that it now has the necessary resources to deliver. 'The city has invested significant resources in training operators and drivers to enable them to successfully and safely run the new bus operating company,' said Kunene. NOW READ: AA warms of 'significant implications' of underfunding Rea Vaya bus service
eNCA
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- eNCA
Outdated and crambling Diepsloot roads get repaired
JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg MMC for Transport Keny Kunene has hit the streets of Diepslot, to fix the cramping roads. This is part of Operation Restore. Kunene says he has noted several challenges that have plagued the city. Among those include roads reaching their life span with some already reaching 40 years. Additionally, he says the city battles underground illegal mining which leads to holes but also the rainy season has delayed response to emerging potholes.
The Herald
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald
GNU parties fuming after DA claims victory over VAT hike reversal
The DA claiming victory over the National Treasury's withdrawal of the VAT hike has pitted it against the majority of its GNU partners. In a joint briefing held by the 11 political parties that supported the budget, including those in the GNU, the DA came under fire for claiming that the VAT hike was reversed because of its court challenge. The ANC, ActionSA, IFP, Rise Mzansi, UDM, Bosa, Al Jama-ah, Good, NCC, PAC and PA held a joint conference after the announcement that the much-contested VAT hike would be halted. Some of the parties laid into the DA, saying the party wanted to use the budget to 'extort' the finance minister. This comes as the DA has been publicly criticised for trying to use the budget talks to renegotiate legislation such as the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act, the National Health Insurance Act and the Expropriation Act. Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi told the media that the successful talks among the parties which led to the finance minister Enoch Godongwana finally agreeing to reverse the VAT increase were about stopping the DA from using the budget to score wins in the GNU. 'This process has been about freeing the finance minister from extortion. We can now proceed with the budget without also having to talk about legislation that has already been passed by parliament,' said Zibi. 'This is what this has been about. We cannot hold budgets hostage to other political priorities that have nothing to do with appropriation.' Zibi said they could not allow the DA to make South Africans wait longer for land justice because the DA knew they could use the emotional VAT hike issue to negotiate the Expropriation Act. 'Those were the points of extortion and we must challenge them,' said Zibi. 'But I can tell you, all of the points of extortion they placed on the table, they are not on the table any more. If anybody wants to reverse legislation they must earn a majority, amend the legislation, take it back to parliament and win that amendment to the legislation.' The PA's Kenny Kunene also accused the DA of trying to use the budget talks to extort the GNU. 'The DA in its negotiations over VAT increase made some demands. The DA indicated that they will vote for the VAT increase if a certain port was privatised. If the NHI was removed. If the Bela Act was removed,' said Kunene. 'So the DA was going to vote for a VAT increase had the ANC and the GNU parties agreed to be extorted by them. So when the extortionists could not get their way they ran to the courts.' Kunene said the DA 'had no moral authority' to claim victory over the VAT hike removal as they were not part of the talks. 'So the DA waking up this morning after seeing the statement of the minister and claiming is quite hypocritical because they never rejected the VAT increase at the beginning. Instead they tried to use it to privatise what South Africans own. They tried to use it to get positions in the GNU. They tried to use it to change what parliament has already resolved on,' said Kunene. 'So a party of extortionists has failed to serve South Africans on a very important matter of national interest.' The IFP's Mkhuleko Hlengwa accused the DA of trying to play both sides — being both in the government and in the opposition. 'We believe that you can't be half pregnant. You can't be in government today and in opposition tomorrow. Either you are in or out for the purposes of consistency within what we do in the budgetary processes and in governing generally so that we can be in a position to resolve the problems,' said Hlengwa. TimesLIVE
