Cape Town —
Govt Set to Challenge Court Ruling on R50 Million Cuba Donation
The High Court in Pretoria on March 22, 2022, granted lobby group AfriForum an urgent interdict against the Department of International Affairs and Cooperation (DIRCO) decision to donate R50 million to Cuba as a goodwill gesture to allieviate social ills there. AfriForum called the donation wasteful expenditure of the taxpayers money. DIRCO came under fire for the large donation, given South Africa’s own struggles with unemployment and poverty. Minister Naledi Pandor said her department will be taking the matter back to court in April 2022.
Cape Town Crippled By Massive Taxi Strike
Western Cape commuters have been warned to make alternative travel arrangements as the province’s taxi industry goes on strike. The C ape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association ( CODETA) taxi associations are reportedly blocking the N2 leading into the city centre. They intend making their way to Premier Alan Winde’s office to voice their grievances over among others, taxi impoundments.
Caster Semenya Sets Personal Best Time in 3,000m Race
Former 2-times Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya is on the comeback trail, setting the track alight at Cape Town Stadium last night in blustery conditions, to reach a personal best time of 8 min 54.97 in the 3,000m event. Semenya, knocking nearly 10 seconds off her best of 9:04.20, is on a quest to build toward her 5,000m goal – an event she will participate in at the World Champs in Eugene, Oregon later this year. However, the champion said she is more focused on the African Championships in June, 2022.
Govt Plans to Cushion South Africans Against Steep Petrol Price Hikes
Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe has confirmed that the government is planning to cushion motorists against rising petrol prices due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. The conflict has hurried the initiative first spoken about by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in his budget speech in February 2022. Godongwana told parliament recently that his department is working with the minerals ministry to find a short-term and long-term plan to mitigate high prices.