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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.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has exposed the City of Johannesburg as bankrupt in a scathing letter to Mayor Dada Morero, forbidding it from fulfilling its agreement with the South African Municipal Workers’ Union to increase wages.
Dwayne Senior/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Fake budgets, real bankruptcy: How Joburg cooked the books into crisis
- Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana exposed Johannesburg’s financial crisis, stating the city is essentially bankrupt with R25 billion in debt and only R3.9 billion in cash.
- The city’s financial woes stem from overspending, under collecting revenue and unrealistic budget projections, leading to a “fiscal death spiral”, according to a Wits professor.
- The DA plans to hold councillors personally liable for the financial mismanagement, while Samwu threatens industrial action in response to the minister’s intervention against a wage hike agreement.
City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza appeared before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday as officials detailed a major cybercrime breach that resulted in more than R2 billion being stolen from the municipality’s billing system.
Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images
Scopa hears how hackers siphoned R2bn from Ekurhuleni municipality in cybercrime heist
- Hackers stole over R2 billion from the City of Ekurhuleni by exploiting unprotected Wi-Fi at a licensing department and manipulating the billing system.
- The breach involved officials and external collaborators, leading to an arrest, a suspension and investigations into systemic corruption and compromised ICT security.
- Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts has labelled the incident as organised crime, urging further investigation by the Special Investigating Unit or the Hawks.
Retired Hawks official, Lieutenant Colonel Jakobus Prinsloo testifying at the Madlanga Commission on Thursday.
Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images
KZN top cop ordered storage of cocaine despite security red flags, commission hears
- Retired Hawks official Jakobus Prinsloo testified that his commander, Brigadier Campbell Nyuswa, knew the Port Shepstone offices were unsuitable for storing 541kg of cocaine due to poor security.
- Prinsloo stated that Nyuswa instructed the drugs to be stored there despite previous break-ins and lack of security measures, and the cocaine was subsequently stolen.
- Prinsloo claimed he followed orders but conceded he may have been given an unlawful instruction regarding the storage of the cocaine.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefed the media on Thursday.
‘There are no xenophobic attacks in SA,’ Ntshavheni says as African outcry grows
- South Africa is willing to provide a report to the African Union regarding anti-migrant protests, following Ghana’s request to include the issue on the agenda.
- The South African government denies xenophobic attacks, acknowledging attacks on foreign nationals and emphasising law enforcement’s role.
- Cabinet condemned fake videos and images claiming attacks on foreign nationals and opportunistic attempts to hijack concerns about unemployment.
Beyers Chocolates reintroduced Sweetie Pie in South Africa in 2014, after Cadbury discontinued the product in the previous year.
Woolies claps back at Beyers as Sweetie Pies run out
- Woolworths denies causing Beyers Chocolates’ demise, stating they ended the relationship due to Beyers supplying competitors with similar products.
- Beyers Chocolates CEO claims the loss of the Woolworths contract led to liquidation and 700 job losses, following a dispute over exclusivity.
- Manufacturing of Beyers’ Sweetie Pie treats has ceased, and while Woolworths is exploring options to bring back Cutie Pies, Beyers is open to working with them again if the business is salvaged.
South Africa last hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013.
Gallo Images/Daily Sun/Trevor Kunene
South Africa to head joint bid to host 2028 Afcon with neighbour countries
- South Africa aims to lead a joint bid with other Southern African countries to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
- The joint bid includes Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Mozambique, with discussions planned at a Cosafa congress in Zimbabwe on 17 May.
- Morocco is also expected to bid for the 2028 Afcon, which could influence South Africa’s final decision.
Sir David Attenborough attends the Global Launch of BBC Studios’ “Planet Earth III” at Frameless on 12 October 2023 in London, England.
Sir David Attenborough turns 100: The world celebrates a century of the climate champion
- Sir David Attenborough is celebrating his 100th birthday, marking a career that transformed understanding of the natural world through landmark documentaries.
- His work, including Life on Earth, has reached hundreds of millions globally and inspired figures like Prince William and Billie Eilish, making him a leading voice on climate change.
- The BBC is commemorating his centenary with a week of programming, including classic episodes and a live show from London’s Royal Albert Hall, highlighting his unparalleled passion for the natural world.
*These summaries were written with the support of Gemini Pro AI
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