Latest news with #ZululandObserver
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Watch: Proud python putters on in KZN
A Southern African rock python that caused itself severe injuries while hunting five months ago was recently spotted in good health in its natural surroundings of Tembe Elephant Park, but it was once more chancing fate. Zululand Observer reports that a recent livestream from the game reserve's waterhole feed showed the 4m snake sunning itself in the company of several elephants drinking. However, the elephants carefully avoided stepping on the 23kg serpent. At this very waterhole in February, the snake attempted to consume an impala, but was impaled by the antelope's horns in the process. After a five-hour struggle, the snake regurgitated its large prey, splitting its lower jaw and being wounded on the tail from the impala's fight for survival. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife intervened, calling on snake expert Donald Schultz from Snake Pharm in Hluhluwe. With funding from WeWild Africa, the protected species received the care it needed and was released back to its home in early March. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zululand Observer (@zululand_observer) Watch: Biting off more than it could chew, a southern African rock python was severely injured when attempting to ingest an antelope recently. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tembe Elephant Park (@tembeelephant) Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
26-06-2025
- The Citizen
4 life terms for KZN rapist father
The eShowe Regional Court in KZN this week sentenced a 41-year-old man to four terms of life imprisonment for the rape of his four young children in the Hluhluwe area. Zululand Observer reports that the offences took place between 2015 and 2019 when the children were aged between two and eight years old. The accused lived with the children and their mother, and raped them when their mother was not at home. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) KZN regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara says the children testified that they would be playing outside, and the accused would call them into the house and rape them. 'He threatened them so they would not report him. The matter was eventually reported by the children's mother after she observed injuries to their genitals. The accused was arrested at their home in Hluhluwe,' she says. Ramkisson-Kara says the accused pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations against him. In the state's case, the prosecutor, Kacey Pillay, led the testimonies of the children, where three of them mentioned that they were raped on various occasions. Since the children's mother died before the start of the trial, Pillay made an application to the court in terms of Section 3(1)(c) of the Hearsay Evidence Act to have the mother's statements admitted into the record. 'An eyewitness' testimony corroborated the mother's statement. The J88 medical records, confirming the sexual abuse of all the children, were also handed in to the court. 'In aggravation of sentence, the state handed in victim impact statements compiled by the children and facilitated by court preparation officer Amanda Pretty Nxumalo. One child said she used to be happy and play a lot, but now she is sad. She said she is untrusting of male persons. 'Another child said the accused's actions have negatively affected him, and he is angry all the time. One of the children said he hates the accused for what he did to them,' she said. The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment for each count of rape. In addition, the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
22-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Taxpayers to begin filing their returns next month
Taxpayers to begin filing their returns next month Sars has confirmed that the 2025 tax season will open on July 7 and close on October 20. Zululand Observer reports that taxpayers are being advised to get their documentation in order ahead of the official opening date. According to Sars, this tax season will again include automatic assessments for a large portion of taxpayers. Notifications for those selected for auto-assessment will be sent between July 7 and 20. 'Taxpayers who do not receive notifications that they are automatically assessed are encouraged to submit their tax returns in a timely and accurate manner from July 21,' said the revenue authority in a statement this week. Sars is encouraging all taxpayers to start preparing early by gathering the necessary documentation and updating their personal information to avoid delays. This includes checking that banking details are correct to allow for the smooth processing of any potential refunds. 'If you need to change your bank details, you must first ensure your security contact details – email and cellphone number – on Sars eFiling are up to date,' said the revenue service. 'There is no need to take action if your banking and contact details have not changed.' The auto-assessment process is based on third-party data submitted to Sars by employers, pension fund administrators, medical aid schemes and other institutions. Sars also clarified that taxpayers can make changes if the automatically captured information is incomplete. 'If the taxpayer believes necessary information is missing, they may amend their tax return and submit it via eFiling by October 20.' Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
21-06-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Catch and release helps conserve fish, 20-year study finds
Marine life is rapidly declining, and urgent action is needed to protect it – one such action being the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). According to the Zululand Observer, in the build-up to MPA Day on August 1, South African scientist Dr Bruce Mann highlights the value of these 'nature reserves of the sea'. 'MPAs provide many benefits for both ocean health and human activities,' said Mann, a research associate at the Oceanographic Research Institute in Durban. 'One benefit is that they enable fish stocks to increase in abundance and biomass and, over time, these spill over into adjacent fished areas, improving catches and ensuring fisheries' sustainability.' One thing that stands out to Mann is that these conservation areas give a clear view of what nature looks like without human impact. 'This forms a useful 'control', which provides a solid foundation for our research into the natural world and the conservation techniques needed. By looking after these special places, we can make a real difference.' He shared three examples of MPAs: A Scotsman tagged in the Pondoland Marine Protected Area (Eastern Cape); a giant kingfish tracked from southern Mozambique to the Eastern Cape; and catch and release angling at iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KZN. A 20-year study in the iSimangaliso MPA tested whether catch and release can help conserve shore angling species. The study tagged fish caught by volunteer anglers in zoned areas within the MPA. The findings showed that when best-practice handling was used, catch and release angling had minimal impact on most species, though more sensitive species still showed higher post-release mortality, especially under increased angling pressure. The study concluded that while catch and release is not suitable in strict no-take zones, it offers real conservation value as a buffer around MPAs or in specially zoned areas. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
11-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Citizen
WATCH: 7 tips from a 77-year-old to thrive in the golden years
WATCH: 7 tips from a 77-year-old to thrive in the golden years He is the Zululand Observer's king of puns and witty wordplay, a newshound known for his supreme gusto in chasing the next big scoop. Dave Savides, the ZO's esteemed consultant editor, celebrated his 77th birthday on Wednesday. Married to wife Liz for 53 years, and father to Paul, Simon and Suzanne, Dave is also a proud grandfather of four and a great-grandfather to one girl. Reflecting on his 77 years, Dave shares seven tips for reaching – and thriving at – a golden age: 1. Look after your body when you're young – you will reap the benefits when you're older. 2. Get plenty of fresh air and sunshine. 3. Surround yourself with good, positive people. 4. Count your blessings every day. 5. Make the most of each day. 6. Use every opportunity to be a blessing to others. 7. Carry your load and let God take the overload. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
