 (1).png){kind=spacer}
3 weeks ago
15
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.
Mehmet Vefa Dag outside the Wynberg police station, where he handed himself in on Thursday.
Cape Town politician off to prison as procedural blunder gave him another day of freedom
- Mehmet Vefa Dag, a politician found in contempt of court for defaming Curro Holdings, was briefly released after surrendering due to administrative errors.
- Curro Holdings’ legal team addressed the confusion with officials, and Dag was later taken into custody and transported to Pollsmoor prison.
- The case stems from Dag’s defamatory social media posts linking Curro to child pornography and rape, leading to a court order for his imprisonment and restrictions on future statements.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump exchange words during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on 21 May in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Trump didn’t just backtrack on ‘white genocide’ after Musk spat - viral tweet is fake
- A screenshot circulating on X falsely claims Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there is no “white genocide” in South Africa.
- There is no evidence the post is real, as it doesn’t appear on Trump’s verified account or in archives, and has formatting inconsistencies.
- The claim plays on tensions between Trump and Elon Musk, and the user who shared it did not clarify its authenticity, fuelling engagement.
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie says ministers would be ineffective and “vulnerable to illness” if they didn’t fly business class on long-haul flights.
Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
‘Impractical and even sadistic’: Why Gayton McKenzie thinks ministers must fly business class
- Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has spent R4.8 million on international travel for himself and his staff since July of last year, justifying business class flights for long-haul trips.
- McKenzie defended the travel expenses by stating that international travel is essential for ministers to engage in cooperation treaties and attract events like Formula One, and that ministers need to be effective and avoid illness.
- ActionSA criticised the spending, highlighting a R164 000 payment for a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place, and has introduced a bill to reduce ministerial perks and restore fiscal discipline.
Natural sciences teacher Lindokuhle Siwela was dismissed after pupils at Kensington High School accused him of awarding marks based on their body shape and making sexually inappropriate remarks.
Gallo Images/Darren Stewart
Teacher fired for allegedly awarding marks to pupils based on their ‘body shape’
- Lindokuhle Siwela, a teacher at Kensington High School, was dismissed for gross misconduct after multiple allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching of Grade 8 pupils.
- An arbitrator found Siwela guilty of contravening the Employment of Educators Act, citing consistent and credible testimonies from pupils detailing incidents of sexual harassment, inappropriate comments, and biased grading practices.
- The arbitrator declared Siwela unsuitable to work with children and ordered his name to be added to the Child Protection Register, a decision welcomed by the Gauteng Department of Education.
SpaceX has suspended the service of Starlink users in South Africa who were accessing the service illegally.
Graphic: Mihle Mdashe. Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. JHVEPhoto/ Getty Images. Joan Cros/Getty Images. OJ Koloti/Gallo Images. Oleg Dubyna/Getty Images. Martinns/Getty Images
SpaceX cuts off illegal Starlink users in SA following Icasa warning
- SpaceX has begun suspending Starlink services for users in South Africa due to illegal usage, following a warning from the country’s communications regulator, Icasa.
- Icasa stated that Starlink’s operation in South Africa is illegal because the company has not applied for the necessary communications licence, which requires a 30% BEE ownership.
- Some individuals and companies have been exploiting loopholes, such as using roaming packages from licensed countries, to access Starlink in South Africa, leading to the current crackdown.
David Kriel of the Bulls with the ball during the 2025 United Rugby Championship match against Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld.
Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Sudden try sprees make these Bulls their sharpest URC vintage yet
- The Bulls have been in incredible try-scoring form at home recently, pressing 30 tries in their last four Loftus matches, making them favorites for their URC semi-final against the Sharks.
- Despite the Sharks winning their previous encounter this season, key attack-related factors, including the Bulls’ devastating home try-scoring record and ability to change gears offensively, favor the Bulls.
- Bulls’ backline players like David Kriel, who was surprisingly shunned by the Springboks, are in excellent form and could be key to their success, while the Sharks’ backline has struggled for attacking flair recently.
Taraji P. Henson in Straw.
Chip Bergmann/Perry Well Films 2/Courtesy Netflix
‘I wanted people to see her’: Taraji P. Henson on emotional role in Tyler Perry’s Straw
- Taraji P. Henson stars in Tyler Perry’s “Straw” as Janiyah, a single mother pushed to her limit, a role Henson deeply connected with due to her own experiences as a single mother.
- Henson and Perry hope the film inspires empathy and understanding for single mothers and marginalised women, highlighting their struggles and the need to be seen and heard.
- Perry wrote the film to pay homage to unseen women and highlight the financial challenges of poverty, aiming to foster empathy in viewers towards struggling single mothers.
*These summaries were written with the support of Gemini Pro AI.
Discover the Truth
Step into a world where the truth shines bright, and every headline is worth your time. With News24, you're not just reading the news; you are part of a community that values knowledge and insight. Immerse yourself in compelling stories, sharp analyses, and content that keeps you ahead of the curve.
