In our top story, unprecedented floods in Durban have caused massive damage to infrastructure, uprooting homes, destroying roads and sinking vehicles.Reports indicate at least 45 people have lost their lives so far as the heavy rains continue to cause damage across the coastal city.
Rainfall of between 180mm and 310mm was also recorded in parts of the city, leaving a trail of destruction across the city. Education authorities urged parents not to send pupils to school.
The opposition party the DA has called on the government to declare the province of KwaZulu-Natal a disaster zone, saying that municipalities have limited resources and disaster management is not up to the challenge.
The South African Weather Service also warned on Tuesday that more rainfall and widespread flooding is expected overnight in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape. It has also issued a Level 9 for heavy rain in the province, calling on the public to be alert.
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A pregnant woman's death, after she was denied a caesarean section in hospital in Senegal, has provoked outrage in the West African nation, where the president promised to launch a probe.
Astou Sokhna died nine months pregnant on 7 April in a public hospital in the northern town of Louga, local press reported, after she repeatedly pleaded with doctors to perform the operation.
But the hospital refused her request on the grounds that a caesarean section had not been planned in advance, and threatened to expel her if she insisted on the operation, according to press reports.
Sokhna and her baby both died after a reported 20-hour wait, provoking an outpouring of anger on social media in Senegal.
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In the sports world, The trial of the five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been postponed for five more days as the defence requested time to prepare a defence and consult their witnesses.
As the trial looking into the 2014 murder of Meyiwa was due to resume in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria yesterday, advocate Zandile Mshololo the defence of the fifth accused Sifisokuhle Ntuli indicated she was still unable to proceed with the trial despite being afforded a day to consult on Monday.
Mshololo thanked the court for granting the postponement, however, she indicated that she would still be unable to proceed with the trial and requested a further five-day postponement.
The state did not oppose the request however indicated the attempt by the defence to blame the state for furnishing documents late was preposterous as they had already highlighted the security concerns.
Ntuli alongside his four co-accused Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, and Mthokoziseni Maphisa face charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition, for the murder of Meyiwa in 2014. The trial will resume on April 22.
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In our final story, South Africa’s historically disadvantaged mid-career professionals are invited to apply for a fellowship programme administered by Harvard Centre for African Studies, which could enable them to study at Harvard University in the U.S.
Established to address the needs of citizens denied access to advanced education by the apartheid system, the programme continues to serve as an intellectual resource for talented South Africans to access advanced education.
The programme was established, and is still intended, for mid-career professionals educationally disadvantaged by past laws and resource allocations in South Africa. It provides a “transformational experience” at Harvard University during the fellowship year.
Fellowships are for up to one year of study in one of Harvard’s Professional and Graduate Schools, with tuition provided by the participating school. General administrative funds for programme management, stipends, and airfare for the fellows are provided by the Office of the President and administered by the Centre for African Studies.
Read more on this here.