Rugby flyover cancelled
Airlink has withdrawn its application to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to perform a flyover of FNB Stadium at Saturday’s rugby match between the Springboks and the All Black. SACAA was continuing with a probe of the flyover of the DHL Cape Town Stadium last weekend. While the flyover was received with great excitement, it also attracted criticism on safety grounds. A spokesperson for Airlink said that the application had been withdrawn because of projected adverse weather conditions.
IEC records jump in candidate nominations
South Africa’s 2026 local government elections are expected to be highly competitive, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) receiving 142,072 candidate nominations, 43% more than in 2021, for 10,526 council seats. A total of 546 political parties are contesting at various levels, with Johannesburg attracting the most parties for PR seats, followed by Tshwane, eThekwini and Ekurhuleni. Political parties submitted more than 140,000 nominations, alongside nearly 1.000 independent ward candidates. The IEC must now verify candidate eligibility and documentation before publishing the final candidate list on 16 September.
New dinosaur discovered, and more (possibly) to come
Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species, Musango matusadonaensis, from fossils discovered at Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba. The 210-million-year-old dinosaur was a sauropodomorph dating from the late Triassic period. Researchers note that Zimbabwe has not been studied adequately because of accessibility, logistical difficulties and the effects of past political conflict on research. They believe the country could yield many more discoveries with plans for further excavations around Lake Kariba, describing the find as only the “tip of the iceberg.”
Three MECs out in Limpopo reshuffle
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba has reshuffled her executive council, removing three MECs and appointing replacements. She said the changes were necessary to improve government performance and accelerate development endeavours. Ramathuba said that Limpopo’s people expected tangible results and greater commitment to inclusive growth. The EFF, however, dismissed the reshuffle as factional politics and claimed it was intended to reward ANC allies following the party’s provincial conference. The party also doubted whether the new MECs could improve the province’s performance.
[Sources: News24, IOL, CNN, The Citizen]