Dear reader,
Would charging a star witness in the case against former defence minister and ANC stalwart Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula jeopardise the case against her? Or would the interests of justice be better served if businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, reported to have received contracts in excess of R200m from the defence department, was allowed to get away with immunity for testifying against Mapisa-Nqakula, who allegedly received bribes estimated at R2.3m? Does the amount received by Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu trump the fact that Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly abused her position in society for what in comparison are crumbs? These are some of the questions the National Prosecuting Authority needed to confront before deciding to charge Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu. But that decision has now created doubt Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who spilled the beans on Mapisa-Nqakula, would still help the NPA secure the latter’s conviction if there’s no incentive for her.
Just five days before she was murdered, Olorato Mongale was shopping with her mom in a Bloemfontein mall when a charming man named John approached her, struck up a conversation and told her she was beautiful. Both women laughed about it later, with her mother telling her: “He’s not really your type.” That man was Philangenkosi Makhanya, who went on to woo Mongale, 30, until she agreed to go on a date. Within two hours of being picked up at her apartment in Atholl, Johannesburg, she was beaten to death and her body was thrown onto a pavement a few kilometres away in Lombardy East. The Sunday Times goes behind the scenes to find stories, including of a woman who used a cellphone application to identify John’s real name – something that may have saved her life. We unpack this story that captured the nation’s imagination, leaving many horrified.
Elsewhere, the Lotto has been given an 11th-hour reprieve, with trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau confirming yesterday that he had granted a 12-month temporary licence to Ithuba Holdings, which kicks in from today. The current lottery contract expired last night. There were fears that South Africa might be without a lottery operator after the high court in Pretoria on Friday dismissed an application by the National Lotteries Commission asking the court to amend its ruling that a 12-month temporary licence issued by Tau in March was invalid. We speak to new lottery operator Sizekhaya chairperson Moses Tembe about looming court battles — and much more.
Happy reading.
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Dear reader,
Would charging a star witness in the case against former defence minister and ANC stalwart Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula jeopardise the case against her? Or would the interests of justice be better served if businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, reported to have received contracts in excess of R200m from the defence department, was allowed to get away with immunity for testifying against Mapisa-Nqakula, who allegedly received bribes estimated at R2.3m? Does the amount received by Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu trump the fact that Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly abused her position in society for what in comparison are crumbs? These are some of the questions the National Prosecuting Authority needed to confront before deciding to charge Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu. But that decision has now created doubt Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu, who spilled the beans on Mapisa-Nqakula, would still help the NPA secure the latter’s conviction if there’s no incentive for her.
Just five days before she was murdered, Olorato Mongale was shopping with her mom in a Bloemfontein mall when a charming man named John approached her, struck up a conversation and told her she was beautiful. Both women laughed about it later, with her mother telling her: “He’s not really your type.” That man was Philangenkosi Makhanya, who went on to woo Mongale, 30, until she agreed to go on a date. Within two hours of being picked up at her apartment in Atholl, Johannesburg, she was beaten to death and her body was thrown onto a pavement a few kilometres away in Lombardy East. The Sunday Times goes behind the scenes to find stories, including of a woman who used a cellphone application to identify John’s real name – something that may have saved her life. We unpack this story that captured the nation’s imagination, leaving many horrified.
Elsewhere, the Lotto has been given an 11th-hour reprieve, with trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau confirming yesterday that he had granted a 12-month temporary licence to Ithuba Holdings, which kicks in from today. The current lottery contract expired last night. There were fears that South Africa might be without a lottery operator after the high court in Pretoria on Friday dismissed an application by the National Lotteries Commission asking the court to amend its ruling that a 12-month temporary licence issued by Tau in March was invalid. We speak to new lottery operator Sizekhaya chairperson Moses Tembe about looming court battles — and much more.
Happy reading.
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