Celani Sikhakhane brings you KwaZulu-Natal’s latest news.
Uthukela – The ANC Women’s League race in KwaZulu-Natal is heating up as it becomes a two-horse race between two former MECs: former Education MEC Mbali Frazer and former Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi.
This follows recent nominations from the Inkosi Bhambatha Region and the Josiah Gumede Region ahead of the Women’s League elective conference, which is set to take place in the next two weeks.
Their nominations come after the collapse of the 2023 elective congress that was held at the Durban ICC. Since then, the ANCWL has been led by interim leadership.
Ulundi – The Ulundi Regional Court has sentenced Bheki Khehla Mdakane (42) to life and 73 years’ imprisonment for a string of offences he committed in March and April 2023.
The offences include two counts of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault GBH, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In the first instance, on 23 March 2023, Mdakane and his companions took a metered taxi to a tavern in the Ulundi area. There, they met the deceased, Senzo Dlamini, and his companions.
Mdakane and his group requested to sit with Dlamini’s group; however, they sat separately.
When the two groups had finished consuming alcohol, Mdakane and his companions offered Dlamini and his friends a lift in the metered taxi to another area. En route, an altercation broke out, resulting in the assault GBH and attempted murder of one of Dlamini’s companions. Dlamini was kidnapped, robbed, and murdered.
Durban – eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba has expressed strong optimism about the future of Durban’s logistics sector.
Speaking at the Port and Rail Week, an event that brings together key industry players, Mayor Xaba said Durban is on an upward trajectory to build a robust logistics sector capable of driving economic growth and job creation.
Port and Rail Week is organised by the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Mayor Xaba emphasised the importance of continued investment in port infrastructure not only to enhance performance, but also to ease congestion.
“I am happy that in recent months, Transnet has invested billions of rand in cargo-handling equipment, which has greatly contributed to decongesting the port. I am particularly encouraged by the over R100 billion port expansion programme currently underway, an initiative set to position the Port of Durban as a world-class container hub and premier automotive terminal,” he said.
Pictured above: Former MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Bongi Sithole-Moloi and former Education MEC Mbali Frazer, who are running for the position of ANCWL KZN Chairperson.
Image source: KZN COGTA
