Meyiwa judge under fire; AARTO set for 1 October: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes

News24

05-06-2025

News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day.
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.
'This is South Africa run by blacks': Senzo Meyiwa trial judge slammed for racial remarks
- Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng is facing criticism for comments made during the Senzo Meyiwa trial, where he questioned advocate Charles Mnisi's request to be excused for the Comrades Marathon, bringing race into the discussion.
- The GOOD party condemned the judge's racially divisive language, while legal experts expressed concern that it undermines judicial integrity, but Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo saw no misconduct.
- Mbekezeli Benjamin from Judges Matter expressed disappointment in the conduct of legal practitioners during the trial, but also noted the judge's reference to race in his comments.
Supplied/Zimbali Estate
Proposed R15.5m Zimbali Beach Club purchase scrapped after wave of resident complaints
- The Zimbali Estate Management Association (ZEMA) initially planned to purchase the Zimbali Beach Club for R15.5 million but cancelled the deal due to legal concerns about its authority to acquire immovable property.
- Concerned residents challenged the acquisition, citing lack of transparency, conflict of interest, flawed voting procedures, and concerns about noise and security.
- ZEMA CEO maintains the cancellation demonstrates sound governance and that the association remains committed to safeguarding the interests of the Zimbali Estate community.
Roman Cabanac/Facebook
Roman Cabanac sacked as Steenhuisen's chief of staff on his birthday
- Roman Cabanac was fired from his position as Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen's chief of staff due to racist remarks made on social media.
- Cabanac acknowledged his dismissal in a video, stating he is considering his options and may challenge the termination.
- The controversy stemmed from Cabanac's past social media posts, including minimising the Sharpeville massacre and making derisive comments about 'poor Xhosas'.
SEE | Midstream house bought with Lotto money meant for old age home, says SIU
- The SIU has frozen a R3.7-million property allegedly bought with Lottery funds meant for an old-age home and an agricultural project.
- The funds were allegedly channelled through nonprofits and private companies before reaching conveyancing attorneys to purchase the house.
- This case follows a pattern seen in other Lottery fraud cases, where grants are misappropriated for personal gain.
CatherineFoot-and-mouth: Animal transport crackdown imminent across SA
- The government plans to implement national rules on cloven-hoofed livestock movement due to foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks.
- These new measures will introduce stricter control measures, not a ban, on livestock movement, requiring supervision and adherence to biosecurity.
- The decision follows a report of foot-and-mouth disease at Karan Beef's feedlot, with the government citing reckless farmer behavior as a contributing factor.
AARTO set for 1 October: What motorists should know about points, spam filters and vehicle finance
- The AARTO system, introducing demerit points for traffic offences, is launching with potential consequences for drivers, especially fleet owners, as accumulating 15 points leads to license suspension.
- Concerns exist regarding the AARTO system's centralised digital process, potentially compromising drivers' right of appeal and creating issues with notification awareness due to reliance on SMS and email.
- The AARTO system raises questions about its impact on professional drivers, fleet owners, and the road freight industry, especially considering existing driver shortages and unique South African driving risks like hijacking.
United Rugby Championship boss Martin Anayi.