A Johannesburg health worker is expected to appear before the Booysens Magistrate's Court for allegedly selling fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to travelers for five hundred rands. The suspect, based at the Parkhurst Clinic in Johannesburg, was arrested over the weekend following a week-long sting operation that was led by the Group Forensic and Investigative Services within the Johannesburg Metro Police Department. It's alleged the suspect sold fake COVID-19 negative test certificates to people wishing to travel abroad without conducting the actual test nor taking blood samples. Spokesperson of the JMPD's Group Forensic and Investigation Services, Lucky Sindane....

A 25-year-old male suspect is expected to appear before the East London Regional Magistrate's Court following the gruesome murder of 23-year-old Law student at the University of Fort Hare, Nosicelo Mtebeni. Mtebeni's murder has sent shockwaves across the country as her dismembered body was discovered inside a suitcase and plastic bags on the streets of Quigney in East London on Thursday last week. A church service was held at her hometown of Matitiele yesterday (Sunday) ahead of a visit by her family to the crime scene and place of residence. An online petition advocating for no bail for the suspect has meanwhile been gaining momentum as messages of support continue to stream in for her family and friends. Convenor of the movement #NotInMyName, Roger Fama says they will also march to court in support of the call for no bail for the suspect...

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) has confirmed that law enforcement agencies are on high alert following unconfirmed reports of a national shutdown today ( Monday 23rd Aug). The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change at the University of Cape Town has studied social media campaigns geared to misinform. They say they are again seeing calls for a shutdown and for violence from a sophisticated network of Twitter accounts promoting the ideas of radical economic transformation. Meanwhile, the SACP has distanced itself from the use of its logo. SACP KZN secretary, Themba Mthembu says the use of the logo has been done so illegally....

 A major showdown will take place in the Constitutional Court TODAY (20/08) when it hears the Electoral Commission's urgent application to have the October Local Government Elections postponed. Various political parties and civil society organizations including the ANC, DA, IFP, ATM, One Movement South Africa, Makana Independent New Deal and the Forum for Service Delivery will be pleading their case as to whether the polls should proceed or not. The Western Cape Government through its Local Government MEC, Anton Bredell, in his capacity as the tenth respondent, will also oppose the application.

Several of the opposition parties in Parliament say they will work with the newly-elected National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, even though they were opposed to her nomination to the position. They say they expect Mapisa-Nqakula will reciprocate by respecting all political parties irrespective of their make-up in the house

It's still not known how much it will cost to rebuild the Medupi power station following the recent explosion. Public Enterprise's Director General, Kgathatso Tlhlakudi, revealed this when he was updating Parliament's Portfolio Committee on the state of financial affairs and governance issues at SOEs, as well as the explosion. He says their recovery manager is still assessing the costs

The United States - joined by 19 countries and the European Union - has issued a statement expressing concern about Afghan women and girls - particularly their right to education, work and freedom of movement. The statement comes despite vows from the Taliban to respect women's rights - a position that has been greeted with skepticism given the group's historic treatment of women and girls in particular. United Nations Agencies have urged the Taliban to make good on their promises to protect vulnerable Afghan citizens who continue to bear the brunt of the rapidly evolving situation on the ground as humanitarian needs countrywide remain acute. 

The Democratic Alliance is TODAY expected to oppose the election of former Defence Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as the new speaker of the National Assembly. Mapisa-Nqakula is the ANC's nominee to replace the former speaker, Thandi Modise, who has been appointed as the new Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. The DA has also vowed put forward its own nominee for the position of speaker of parliament while a group called the New Nation Movement has threatened parliament with court action if it proceeds with the election of Mapisa-Nqakula, claiming she is not fit for the position.

Former PRASA Board chairperson, Popo Molefe has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of lying at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry. During his two-day testimony at the commission last week, Ramaphosa said it was disingenuous for Molefe to tell the commission that the ANC Top Six officials failed to help him fight corruption at PRASA. But, Molefe has hit out at the president and says he knew he was not telling truth about engagements he had with the governing party's top leadership.

The Solicitor General at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Fhedzisa Pandelani, says 35 of the 36 Marikana claimants against the state have been settled following the massacre in August, 2012 at Lonmin Mine in the North West. Pandelani says the total amount that has been paid as compensation to the affected families of the mine workers killed in Marikana to date is almost 70 Million rands. Pandelani however noted that there were other various claims that are yet be attended to.  He also urged the 35 claimants that have been settled to approach the State Attorney's office for any update of their claims. Pandalani says any other outstanding issues regarding other claimants are subject to court processes.