Former President Jacob Zuma.
Image: REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham
Former president Jacob Zuma has broken his silence about weekend reports alleging that he secretly moved millions of US dollars belonging to late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi from his Nkandla compound to Eswatini.

The Sunday Times reported that South African agents tipped President Cyril Ramaphosa off about the stash being moved to Eswatini earlier this year.

Despite failing to respond to questions sent by the paper‚ Zuma went on Twitter on Tuesday morning and denied the claims.However‚ King Mswati is said to have admitted the existence of the money when he met Ramaphosa at OR Tambo International Airport two weeks ago.

The money‚ said to be $30m (about R422m) in cash‚ was said to have been transported out of King Shaka airport in Durban bound for Eswatini‚ where it was to be stored by the Central Bank of Eswatini.

The cash pile is said to have been given to Zuma by the Libyan leader for safekeeping shortly before he was killed in October 2011.

Yolanda Dlepu, 24, died after she was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend
Image: SUPPLIED
A Soweto boyfriend handed himself over to the police on Tuesday morning after allegedly strangling his 24-year-old girlfriend to death on Sunday.

Yolanda Dlepu (24) from Dobsonville died on Sunday afternoon after years of allegedly being in an abusive relationship with the man.

She was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend at his home in Zola. The woman is said to have stayed on with her 30-year-old boyfriend although he has allegedly been beating her up for over three years.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Phindlile Mavuso said the man was on the run from Sunday afternoon after the incident.

“He handed himself over around 6am this morning (Tuesday) after confessing to his mother and realising that police were looking for him,” said Mavuso.

Mavuso told Sowetan that the body of the woman was found on the floor in the man’s backroom with strangle marks on the neck and bruises all over the body.

Mavuso said investigation has revealed that Dlepu had previously opened two cases of assault against her boyfriend and also had a protection order against him.

“We have a challenge with youngsters between the ages of 18 and 31 who come and open cases of assault after being beaten up by their boyfriends but come back later to drop the charges.”

Mavuso said women need to take assault seriously and leave abusive relationships while they still have time. “Unfortunately for Yolanda, it’s too late,” said Mavuso.

A group of pupils with their teachers next to a car that they modified.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
It was excitement and celebrations at Soshanguve Technical College in Tshwane as a group of Grade 12 pupils prepared to reveal a car they have modified.

The pupils are from an Engineering School of Specialisation with an automotive focus that is expected to be launched by the Gauteng department of education on Tuesday.

It took three months for the six Grade 12 pupils to turn a 2003 BMW T318 E46 hatchback into a mini bakkie.

Automative teacher Phaleng Scotch said the car was beyond repair when they bought it.We asked the pupils to come up with ideas on how to modify the car. They chose to turn it into a bakkie because BMW SA doesn’t have one,” he said.

The department is working in partnership with BMW, who will provide pupils with all the experience they need. The car company will also hand over one of its first X3 models to the school for educational purposes.

The department has initiated the establishment of schools of specialisation that seek to nurture talent in young people across key disciplines and develop the country’s future leaders. These schools of specialisation are intended to respond to the skills shortage and unemployment crisis among the youth in the country.

MEC Panyaza Lesufi said it is envisaged that SoS would equip learners with the skills and knowledge to give them the best chance of success in life.

The car was expected to be revealed during the course of the day.

Test tube with Corona virus name label is seen in this illustration.
Image: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo
A Free State man who was reportedly the first South African to have contracted coronavirus without travelling outside the country has now tested negative.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday night that the man was tested at a private facility in the Free State. Mkhize said that because the man “did not fit the case definition”, the test was done again at the National Health Laboratory Service in Johannesburg. That test came back negative.

As a result, the number of South Africans who have tested positive for coronavirus is now 16.

“We can’t explain why some tests come out positive then later negative. We released the result of positive, we then did additional verification, which confirmed it was negative. It’s not a crisis, it happens every now and then. This particular patient is now negative after verification,” said Mkhize.

At the media conference, The Ranch, a four-star hotel near Polokwane, Limpopo, was identified as a quarantine point for South Africans being flown back from coronavirus-hit Wuhan.

Mkhize announced that the 145-bedroom facility, 25km south of Polokwane, was the quarantine point.

Former Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs midfielders Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyane and Siphiwe Tshabalala have started preparing for life beyond football.

The two stars and best friends recently opened a swanky drinking hole in Dobsonville, Soweto, after two years of planning and development.

ShaYe Lounge, a sophisticated double-storey ale house that offers stunning views of Soweto from the rooftop, was quietly opened six weeks ago with an official launch still on the cards.

The soccer stars bought Dobsonville’s famous Morris Pub in 2015 and then they razed it to build their dream joint.

Letsholonyane said the pozzie aimed to bring elegance to the township and attract more people to it.

He said he never anticipated this kind of business venture but was heartbroken when he learnt that his favourite chilling spot was up for sale.This place used to be a pub where I used to chill every time I got a chance. So one day I heard that the owner wanted to sell the place and I knew I could not let go of it.

“When it was on the market Shabba and I thought that we should buy the place to keep our love for it, and turn it into something beautiful and leave a legacy for our children.

“At the time, we were still focused on our careers but we both knew what we wanted from the place and decided to develop it at our own pace,”
he said.

The lounge currently operates on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Tshabalala, who is currently in Turkey playing for Super League side Erzurumspor, said he has been friends with Letsholonyane for a long time and they decided it was about time they took their “brotherhood” to the next level.

“The most challenging thing is that I’m abroad and Yeye’s schedule is tight but he tries to know everything about the business and he’s there when he’s not playing or training.

“It’s a cash business which needs us to be hands-on and we are still babies in this industry but we are willing to learn,” said Tshabalala from Turkey.

ShaYe Lounge employs 13 people and the bar has a strictage limit of 24 years. The dress code restricts Converse and All Star takkies.