Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 02 August 2024:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports the premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi has cut his office’s budget by 24-percent to 671-million-rand. He says this is to allow service delivery departments to access more resources during these difficult fiscal times.

# And Mail & Guardian on Fridays:

Writes about the doings of the looters of the VBS Bank. The paper compares those who looted the bank’s funds to sharks and crocodiles.

GAUTENG:

# Beeld:

Leads with a picture of Tatjana Smith in the pool shortly after she won a silver medal.

Then it is reported the chairman of the DA’s federal council, Helen Zille, says the ANC is crumbling and the government of national unity is actually a large coalition between the DA and the ANC.

And finally, the paper writes the minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson says the government is contributing to crime with its empty buildings.

# The Star and Pretoria News:

Writes the differences between the ANC and DA on the government of national unity intensifies.

And reports that the end of the battle between the ANC and MK Party over the MK brand is not yet in sight.

# Sowetan:

Reports on the illegal mining syndicate leader, Bethuel Ngobeni who allegedly spent 4.2-million-rand in seven months. The paper says car dealers, Home Affairs officials and mining regulators will be called as witnesses in the trial, which begins today.

# And The Citizen:

Writes there are serious concerns about aviation safety in South Africa and experts have issued an urgent warning to the government.

FREE STATE:

# Volksblad in Bloemfontein:

Reports on the murder of Jayson Afrique from Kimberley who was shot nine times through the window of his bakkie. According to a friend of his, it was a planned assassination.

The paper has the same main picture as Beeld.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports the secretary general of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula says people should not get upset if the DA’s Hellen Zille advocates the downfall of the ANC – that is her job. However, analysts believe that Zille is deliberately trying to sow discord.

And secondly, the paper gives an overview of South Africa’s medals at the Olympic Games over the years, which makes Tatjana Smith one of the country’s leading Olympians ever.

# And Cape Times:

Writes the government of national unity is a front for a DA-ANC coalition.

And reports on the Department of Basic Education putting racism in schools at the doorstep of parents.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports the South African Civil Aviation Authority has suspended Plettenberg Bay’s airport licence, halting all scheduled flights.

And secondly, the paper writes the construction mafia in Nelson Mandela Bay has stopped the multi-million rand R-335 road construction project from Motherwell to Addo and is now demanding 450-thousand-rand per month in protection fees.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# Daily News in Durban:

Writes Zille says the government of national unity was a lie. The paper reports a political analyst predicts a dark future for the union.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports a moratorium on the purchase of any government vehicles has had a devastating effect on the existing overused fleet. The moratorium’s purpose was to limit purchases of vehicles as part of austerity measures.

And secondly, the paper writes there is a consignment of 400 glasses lying at the Eros airport in Windhoek, destined for the less fortunate in Tsumeb. However, the Namibian Revenue Service does not want to release it.