logo
SA-based Zimbabwean activist fights extradition threat

SA-based Zimbabwean activist fights extradition threat

Outspoken Zimbabwean government critic Wellington Masiwa has found himself entangled in a cross-border legal battle after South African authorities served him with an arrest warrant from Zimbabwe.
Masiwa operates on social media as Nyokayemabhunu . He is a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who allegedly ran anti-government WhatsApp groups from South Africa.
The activist also allegedly backed war veteran Blessed Geza during the infamous 31 March Zimbabwe protests.
According to Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono, South African police arrested Maiwa on 13 April. They charged him with contravention of Section 49(1) of the Immigration Act for being in South Africa without a valid visa or permit.
Last week, Masiwa appeared at the Randburg Magistrates' Court facing immigration charges. During the court proceedings, the South African authorities served him with an international arrest warrant. According to the warrant, Masiwa has to serve an outstanding fraud sentence in Zimbabwe. Masiwa's bail hearing postponed
Masiwa's bail application hit a snag after he presented a Zimbabwean birth certificate and ID bearing a date of birth that differs from official government records.
While Masiwa's documents indicate he was born in 1987, Zimbabwean authorities claim his birth year is 1977. South African prosecutors, citing information from the Zimbabwean Embassy, argued the documents are fraudulent.
The court will hear the matter again on 9 May. According to his legal team, Masiwa believes these charges are being used as a cover to extradite him to Zimbabwe.
His lawyer, Brian Machingura, said those WhatsApp groups, once hubs of political activism, have since been hacked and are now being used to circulate pornographic material.
Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tshwane opens 200 metro police officer trainee posts
Tshwane opens 200 metro police officer trainee posts

TimesLIVE

time2 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

Tshwane opens 200 metro police officer trainee posts

The City of Tshwane has announced that applications for 200 metro police officer trainee posts are open. Young men and women of all races who are physically and mentally fit and dedicated to serving the city are advised to apply. 'Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified people without regard to race, religious belief, age, national origin, marital status, disability, HIV status, gender, social origin, culture, political opinion, conscience and sexual orientation,' the city said. Applicants must be South African citizens residing in Tshwane, between the ages of 18 and 35, must have a grade 12 qualification, a valid driving licence and no criminal record or pending criminal cases. People with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants can apply through the City of Tshwane website and click on the e-recruitment link. The online system will close on August 5 and successful candidates will serve as metro police officials. The monthly stipend will be determined by the department. 'The City of Tshwane is committed to employment equity. Preference may be given to appointable applicants from the underrepresented designated groups in terms of Tshwane's employment equity plan. 'The city retains the right not to make an appointment and to verify all information provided by candidates. A process of progressive elimination will also be embarked upon in instances where a considerable number of applicants meet the minimum requirements for a position.'

South African intellectuals propose new strategies for economic empowerment
South African intellectuals propose new strategies for economic empowerment

IOL News

time2 hours ago

  • IOL News

South African intellectuals propose new strategies for economic empowerment

Christo Van der Rheede hosted the FW De Klerk Foundation conference. Image: File A recent conference hosted by the FW de Klerk Foundation in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung brought together prominent South African intellectuals to discuss alternative ways to empower South Africans and stimulate economic growth. The Constitutional Rights conference, titled "Achieving an Inclusive Economy", featured panellists including Moeletsi Mbeki, Ashor Sarupen, Dr Celeste Campher, Ismail Joosub, and Professor William Gumede. One of the key topics discussed at the conference, hosted by its Executive Director Christo van der Rheede, was the need to rethink the current Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy. Mbeki, a prominent economist and businessman, argued that BEE has failed to achieve its intended goals and has instead created a culture of dependency among black professionals. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "We have to repeal Black Economic Empowerment legislation," Mbeki said. "One of the most important consequences of the BEE combined with public sector salaries is that it disincentivises, especially young black professionals, to become entrepreneurs. It incentivises them to become public sector employees, and this is why South Africa is not building new companies." Gumede, a leading expert on economic development, proposed alternative empowerment strategies that focus on pragmatism and inclusivity. Gumede argued that the current BEE policy has benefited only a small elite group of black individuals, while leaving the majority of South Africans behind. "We need to shift to alternative optics of empowerment," he said. "The way empowerment is structured now is based on giving politically connected ANC leaders and trade union leaders benefits in existing companies. We need to bring small companies into supply chains and manufacturing so that the supply chains are in manufacturing. Secondly, we need to reward skills training and reward employment so that empowerment becomes that if you employ young people.' Gumede said pragmatism was a philosophy that must be implemented in South Africa. 'From South Africa's point of view, we need to focus all our state, economic, and nation-building initiatives on pragmatism… We need to look at what works and what is in the interest of everyone. We need to remove anti-growth policies,' he said. The conference also discussed the need to reduce the public sector wage bill, which is seen as unsustainable and detrimental to economic growth. Campher, an economist and policy analyst, argued that the government should prioritise infrastructure development and job creation over social interventions. "The current public sector wage bill must be reduced drastically to afford the building of public infrastructure," Campher said. "Our roads, harbours, and railway system are in a dilapidated state and must be fixed." Sarupen, a businessman and entrepreneur, proposed a Basic Employment Grant scheme that would provide individuals with a grant in exchange for rendering basic services at the municipal level. Sarupen argued that this approach would not only provide a safety net for the poor but also promote entrepreneurship and skills development. "A Basic Employment Grant should also be integrated with a skills and entrepreneurial development programme," Sarupen said. "Continuing to hand out grants for free perpetuates and has entrenched a dependency culture." One of the attendees of the conference, which was held in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, said that it highlighted the need for alternative empowerment strategies that prioritise inclusivity, pragmatism, and entrepreneurship. "If we rethink the current BEE policy and promote small businesses and job creation, South Africa can stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty and inequality," he said.

‘Open our eyes and ears' – Ramaphosa on how to tackle US tariff hike on SA cars
‘Open our eyes and ears' – Ramaphosa on how to tackle US tariff hike on SA cars

The Citizen

time2 hours ago

  • The Citizen

‘Open our eyes and ears' – Ramaphosa on how to tackle US tariff hike on SA cars

In response to the incoming US tariffs, Ramaphosa said South Africa needs to look at other markets. South Africa will feel the wrath of the Trump administration as it stands firm on implementing the 30% tariff on exports to the United States (US). Other countries will also be affected by President Donald Trump's decision, as their export tariffs are increasing as well. In South Africa, the automotive sector will be significantly impacted, as some brands, such as Mercedes-Benz, export to the US. President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking at the BMW plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria, on Thursday, highlighted that the automotive industry has a significant impact on the country's GDP, as it contributes 4.9%. ALSO READ: US tariff of 30% on SA exports: where to now? Ramaphosa on US tariffs BMW Group SA hosted an engagement to highlight its commitment to strengthening South Africa's economic vitality and advancing its industrial innovation. 'The tariffs from the US have turned the world upside down and are a huge threat to us as well because we export a lot of products to the US, such as vehicles, agricultural products and mineral products,' said Ramaphosa. During his keynote address, he added that SA is the 22nd largest car exporter in the world. Ramaphosa added that the US market is important to SA; however, it is time to diversify the country's export base and accelerate domestic value creation. 'As we face this threat of higher tariffs, we need to open our eyes and ears and see where else our vehicles can go.' SA government engaging on US tariffs Ramaphosa added that producers of some industries have already felt the pressure of the incoming US tariffs. He said the South African government is engaging with the US, and he hopes this will yield success in the coming days. 'We need to look at other markets, and being an African country, with an African continental free-trade, we have got to see how we open up the rest of the continent, because we have a very positive tariff-free opportunity with the rest.' He applauded BMW for exporting the new X3 to Europe. He said that exporting cars to other countries demonstrates trust in the skills South Africans possess and highlights the industry's potential. ALSO READ: Devastating impact of US tariffs on SA automotive sector even before implementation BMW Group South Africa invited President @CyrilRamaphosa to a showcase of the successful implementation of the latest investment for production of the new BMW X3 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle at the automaker's plant at Rosslyn in Tshwane. — The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) July 24, 2025 BMW not affected by tariffs Danny Bester, BWM plant director, told The Citizen that they are not affected by the US tariffs, as they are not currently exporting to the country. 'Right now, we are not affected by the US tariffs because most of our volumes are going to other parts of the world, like Europe, Australia and New Zealand.' He added that they would like to have access to the American market. However, they have sent 16% of the current generation to the US. When asked if they will be looking into expanding in the future, Bester said BMW is aiming to build a new record volume by the end of the year. NOW READ: Mercedes-Benz halts production in Eastern Cape – Will employees be paid?

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store