Ruling Party Seeks Meeting with U.S. Ambassador Over Russia Arms Allegations
The African National Congress's national working committee (NWC) has expressed its intention to meet with United States Ambassador Reuben Brigety after he criticised the ANC's policy on Ukraine, which states that the U.S. provoked the war with Russia over Ukraine, hoping to put Russia in its place, reports News24. Brigety also accused South Africa of selling arms to Russia, which the South African government denied. The ANC claims the ambassador apologized for his comments, although Brigety called his utterances a "misimpression". Speaking to the media after a marathon NWC meeting, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said that the country has insisted it would not condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that the government remained non-aligned in the conflict.
Eight People Burnt to Death in KwaZulu-Natal
Eight people were burnt to death after armed suspects stormed a house in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, looking for the owner, reports eNCA. The police say that after realising the owner was not there, the suspects instructed the victims to undress, doused them with a liquid, and set them alight. Eight died on the scene while four survived with severe burns and were rushed to hospital. The motive for the attack is not yet known.
Network Provider Vodacom Forks Out Billions on Back-Up Power
Major network provider Vodacom says it's spent a whopping R4 billion on alternative sources of power including batteries and generators since 2020, reports eNCA. The company faced additional expenses of R300 million in the past financial year due to increased running costs, including diesel, security, and infrastructure maintenance. Vodacom's CEO Shameel Joosub says power cuts have been disastrous for South Africa's telecommunications industry. Despite the energy crisis and rising operating costs, Vodacom managed to achieve a 2.1% increase in net profit, according to its full-year earnings report.
