South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Tuesday 18 January 2022 [Video]

ArtmotionJanuary 18, 2022

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We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Tuesday 18 January 2022.

Is Cyril Ramaphosa’s house of cards tumbling this week? Within hours of an ANC MP demanding a SCOPA probe into the president, the DA has compounded his misery – by pushing for a potential perjury charge.

The claim relates to testimony Ramaphosa gave to the State Capture Inquiry last year. The head of state was quizzed about ‘cadre deployment culture’, and Cyril was accused of letting the ANC handpick judges and magistrates for key state positions. Leon Schreiber, a DA heavyweight, believes the 69-year-old didn’t tell the truth while on the stand.

Meanwhile, the heavy rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country. With rescue and evacuation teams dispatched to the severely affected areas.

And in some gruesome news, the body of an unidentified man shot execution-style was found on Monday morning on an unpaved road between Ballito & Tongaat.

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TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Tuesday 18 January

Who’s laughing now? Ramaphosa ‘may face perjury charge’ for Zondo testimony

“The DA will today write to the chairperson of the State Capture Commission, acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, requesting that he urgently consider approaching the Constitutional Court seeking an order of perjury against President Cyril Ramaphosa over misleading testimony delivered before the Commission.”

The release of the first part of the State Capture report last week made public the minutes of the ANC’s deployment committee from 2018 to 2021. The DA’S analysis found that the governing party seemingly had a hand in the appointment of dozens of candidates to state positions.

Leon Schreiber

Click here to read more about the possible charge against Ramaphosa.

Zandile Mafe accuses ‘white man’ of threatening him with a death sentence

In an unsigned founding affidavit submitted to the Western Cape High Court on Saturday, 15 January, Zandile Mafe – the man accused of starting the parliament fire – offered his account of the events that led to his arrest on 2 January.

Mafe’s legal team – spearheaded by Dali Mpofu and Luvuyo Godla – submitted the affidavit, which was seen by The South African, to the court as part of the accused’s urgent bail application, which was not heard.

Judge President John Hlophe postponed the bail application to Saturday, 22 January.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Western Cape Eric Ntabazalila said the alleged Parliament arsonist is contesting the order made by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court that confined him to Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital.

Hlophe explained to the legal teams that a review of a decision taken by a magistrate cannot be presided over by a single judge and as he was the only judge on duty that matter will be heard by himself and another judge on Tuesday, 18 January at 16:00.

Click here to read more.

WATCH: Heavy rain caused havoc in parts of SA over weekend

Heavy rainfall over the weekend caused havoc across the country, damaging roads and causing flooding in some areas.

According to reports, 35 people were trapped due to the Ladysmith CBD floods on Monday morning. The lower parts of Ladysmith’s CBD were flooded after the Kliprivier Dam burst its banks on Sunday night.

The police rescue teams used rubber boats to evacuate people from Alexander and Forbes streets, and 35 people were safely removed on Monday morning.

The Al-Imdaad Foundation teams were also on the ground in Ladysmith assisting shop keepers trying to salvage goods and stock as floodwaters continued to inundate large areas of the town.

Click here to watch the videos.

HECTIC! An unidentified man executed near Ballito

The body of an unidentified man shot execution-style was found on Monday morning on an unpaved road between Ballito & Tongaat.

According to Reaction Unit SA (RUSA) spokesperson Prem Balram, they were called to the scene at around 06:58.

“Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) arrived on scene at approximately 06:58 and found the man lying in a prone position. His hands were bound behind his back with cable ties.

“He appears to have sustained two gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma to his head. Two 9mm spent cartridges were recovered near his body,” he said.

Balram added that the man appears to be in his mid-thirties.

“The motive for the execution-style murder could not be confirmed.”

Police could not yet confirm the murder or provide more information on this shooting.

Click here to read more about this gruesome murder.

Don’t panic: If you fail matric, you still have plenty of options

Students around the country will soon learn whether or not their efforts to pass the year were successful, and while many will breathe an immense sigh of relief when their matric results are released on 21 January 2022, others will find these facing a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty.

Failing matric might seem catastrophic, but it certainly doesn’t mark the end of your prospects of success. A number of options are available in the event that you haven’t quite made the grade, as well as some measures you can take if you aren’t satisfied with your marks.

The Department of Basic Education, as well as a host of other educational support platforms, agree that the first thing to do is engage in a bit of self-reflection. Did you try your best? What more could you have done to give yourself the best chance of achieving a pass, and can you honestly say that you gave it your all?

There’s also every likelihood that personal obstacles and challenges rendered your efforts to study and pass the year futile – identify these obstacles and seek out the support available to you.

Click here to read more about your options.