Transcript

Hello, this is Erika from ‘Just a Moment News’, bringing you today’s headlines on September 30th, 2024. Let’s dive into some of the stories making waves today.

Starting off, there’s a concerning update involving Thembi Simelane, the former mayor of Polokwane. A loan agreement linked to her, allegedly for purchasing a coffee shop in Sandton, shows signs of potential backdating. The document, which outlines a loan of five hundred seventy-five thousand six hundred Rand from Ralliom Razwinane’s Gundo Wealth Solutions, has inconsistencies in its use of tenses, suggesting it might have been created after its stated signing date of September 30th, 2016. This raises questions, especially as the repayment dates listed also seem to contradict the timeline of the agreement. Amidst this, Simelane has stated in Parliament she repaid the loan but hasn’t provided proof, which only adds to the skepticism regarding the document’s authenticity.

In another story, a Free State construction company, Mol Pro Consulting, is suing the South African Revenue Service for a staggering nine hundred and fifty million Rand. This lawsuit comes after an e-filing system hack allegedly led to significant tax compliance issues for the company, resulting in its tax clearance being revoked and its operations being halted. The charges of defrauding Sars out of one hundred and sixteen million Rand were dropped after evidence of internal collusion within Sars and a hijacking of the e-filing system by a former employee came to light. Mol Pro is now seeking damages for lost income, personal and asset losses, legal fees, and more, while Sars acknowledges an uptick in e-filing security breaches linked to global crime syndicates.

Moving to weather news, the KwaZulu-Natal province is on high alert as the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has issued warnings of torrential rains and possible snow in the coming days. Residents in coastal areas and other parts are advised to stay updated on weather reports, avoid flood-prone regions, and prepare for potential power outages. Emergency teams are on standby, and municipalities have set up shelters for those who might be displaced by the severe weather.

In space news, a SpaceX capsule is set to bring home two astronauts from the International Space Station after their mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft faced issues. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were supposed to return on the Starliner, will now stay on the ISS until early 2025 as part of the Crew-9 mission due to safety concerns with the Starliner’s reentry capabilities. This change means they will now return with the next SpaceX Dragon capsule in February.

Lastly, in entertainment, the box office sees contrasting fortunes with DreamWorks and Universal’s ‘The Wild Robot’ soaring to number one with an impressive opening, while Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ struggles significantly, earning a D+ CinemaScore and facing critical panning. Other films like ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ and ‘Transformers One’ also make headlines with their respective earnings and performance.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for tuning in to ‘Just a Moment News’. This is Erika signing off. Have a great day and stay informed!

Keywords - moment, daily, news