South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 6 January 2022 [Video]

The damage caused by the hammer-wielding suspect at ConCourt - Photo: Neo Jama / Twitter

We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Thursday, 6 January 2022.

What an ominous start to the year! Just days after Parliament was torched in Cape Town, a solitary suspect launched a violent attack on ConCourt in Johannesburg. Police were called to Constitution Hill earlier on Wednesday, and the suspect was arrested at the scene.

Meanwhile, neighbours of the man accused of burning down Parliament have recounted the ‘odd behaviour’ they saw from him in the recent months. Carl Niehaus has distanced himself from allegations that he is ‘closely’ connected to the man.

The first part of the State Capture report was handed to President Cyril Ramphosa on Tuesday, 4 January. Shortly after, it was released to the public.

Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s Commission established a link between corrupt tenders and political party financing – the African National Congress (ANC) was the organisation implicated in the evidence.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday 6 January

ConCourt attack: SIX things we know about the suspect so far…

South Africa is starting a new year in ominous fashion once more – and on this occasion, we can’t blame it on COVID-19. Just days after Parliament was torched in Cape Town, a solitary suspect launched a violent attack on ConCourt in Johannesburg.

Police were called to Constitution Hill earlier on Wednesday, and the suspect was arrested at the scene. However, the highest court in the land has been left battered and bruised, after extensive damage was caused by the alleged vandal. Details remain scarce, but here’s what we know about him:

He has only been identified as a 36-year-old male.
The suspect remains in police custody, and will appear in court later this week.
The man used a hammer to break windows and smash glass doors at the ConCourt building. Rocks were also thrown at the buiding.
He is facing a charge of ‘malicious damage to property’.
The perp refused to stop attacking the building when asked by police, but did so once they fired a warning shot.
His motivations are yet to be established – and it’s unclear if there are any links to the Parliament Fire, either.

Zandile Mafe: ‘Weird’ details about his recent behaviour emerge

We’re learning more about the man accused of burning down Parliament each passing day. The problem with that, however, is that it’s making a strange set of circumstances look even stranger – and Zandile Mafe’s behaviour in the weeks beforehand has now come under scrutiny.

Where do we even start? Initially, he was paraded to the courts as a homeless citizen, before his hastily arranged private lawyer revealed that he actually had a fixed address at Site B in Khayelitsha. This is just one of the many confusing contradictions linked to this story.

Zandile Mafe was arrested on Sunday, and remains behind bars until at least Tuesday 11 January, when his bail application will be heard. However, the suspect doesn’t exactly fit the profile of a mastermind who could destroy one of Mzansi’s national key points.

State Capture report: ANC was financed by ‘the proceeds of crime’ more than once

The first part of the State Capture report was handed to President Cyril Ramphosa on Tuesday, 4 January. Shortly after, it was released to the public.

In the 874-page State Capture report, Zondo says the link between the granting of corrupt tenders and political party financing represents “an existential threat” to South Africa’s democracy.

“It is inconceivable that political parties should finance themselves from the proceeds of crime, and yet there is alarming evidence to that effect,” says Zondo.

The report details examples where corrupt dealings resulted in the granting of “high value” contracts – in two of these instances the proceeds of corruption were to a political party – the ANC, both times.

The governing party’s notorious relationship with now-defunct prison company BOSASA is also highlighted and ill-gotten funds are believed to have filtered into ANC coffers, as the company made several donations to the party over the years.

‘CRAP’: Niehaus denies ties to Parliament fire accused Zandile Mafe

Carl Niehaus has distanced himself from allegations that he is ‘closely’ connected to Zandile Mafe. Mafe is the man accused of starting the fire that left Parliament devastated, facing a litany of charges including arson.

In a post to social media an individual identifying as Goolam claimed that the two men were linked. Goolam claimed that the two men had participated in a march to Luthuli House in support of former president Jacob Zuma.

“The man arrested for the devastating fire in parliament, Mr Zandile Mafe, is allegedly closely associated with Carl Niehaus. Mafe was part of a march with Carl to Luthuli House in defence of Jacob Zuma in 2017. Developing story…”
Goolam

In response to this, Niehaus labeled this controversial claim as nothing short of defamation. Certainly, Niehaus says that he intends to prove this claim is false in court.

“This kind of crap, and down right defamation, will be dealt with immediately and head on. I have already instructed my attorneys to proceed with a defamation lawsuit.”

Three arrested for the kidnapping of 11-year-old Mayfair schoolgirl [Update]

Three men, including a man found in Mozambique, have been arrested in connection with an 11-year-old girl who was kidnapped outside her school in Mayfair, Johannesburg, in November last year.

The girl, who was kidnapped outside her schoolyard in November 2021, was rescued last night during an Intelligence-led operation.

She was kidnapped at gunpoint on the morning of 17 November 2021. This happened outside the school gate while she was waiting in line to be sanitized and screened.

According to police spokesperson Lt Col Robert Netshiunda, members of the Crime Intelligence Anti-Kidnapping Task Team and the Johannesburg Flying Squad pounced on a house in Devland, Soweto, around midnight on Tuesday.