A bid by embattled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema to have his temporary suspension set aside has been dismissed, the ANC’s appeal body said on Tuesday.

“The national disciplinary committee of appeals (NDCA)… found that the NDC [national disciplinary committee] did not breach the ANC constitution, the rules of natural justice and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement.

Malema applied to the NDCA on April 5 to set aside the temporary suspension, and submitted his heads of argument on Sunday.

Read more here (via News24)

All hail the written word!

The 2012 Pulitzer prize winners were announced on Monday in 14 journalism categories and seven arts categories, with no prize awarded for fiction (a first in the ceremony’s 35-year existence).

The New York Times was the only media outlet to win two Pulitzers, one for international reporting on Africa and another for explanatory reporting. The highly coveted public service Pulitzer went to The Philadelphia Inquirer. While Pulitzer favourites the Washington Post and the Los Angelese Times were both snubbed this year, two exclusively online news organisation, the Huffington Post and Politico, both went home with their first Pulitzers.

Click here to view the full list of winners (via The Daily Beast)

“I have carried out the most sophisticated and spectacular political attack committed in Europe since the Second World War. Yes, I would have done it again.”

- Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian anti-Islamic gunman in court on trial for the killing of 77 people last year

Source: Reuters

Hot off the heels of the successful ’Last Dictator Standing’ commercial, the Nando’s team has showcased their latest parody to South African audiences — and this time they’re taking the mickey out of Santam.

The restaurant chain’s brand new TV commercial plays off the Santam’s well-known TV ad featuring oscar-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Take a look!
‘

View the original video here:

—

What do you think of the new Nandos commercial? Share your thoughts by commenting below.

Top SA journalist killed in blue light crash, World Bank picks Kim as chief, and ANC lashes out at Shivambu for Ramaphosa comments. Here are the morning headlines you need to know:

(more…)

Paul McCartney is fast approaching the ripe age of 70, but the former Beatle and British knight is showing no signs of slowing down. McCartney premiered the video for “My Valentine” last week, featuring some unknown extras by the name of Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman. Take a look!

View the full story here (via The Huffington Post)

“Scathing” is how the government described Media Monitoring Africa’s assessment that reporting on the Protection of State Information Bill  has been poor and one-sided. Unsurprisingly, that was taken as an  affirmation that media in this country operate with an anti-government  bias. Osiame Molefe takes a more in-depth look at the issue.”

Read the full story via The Daily Maverick.

“That is totally un-ANC. The leadership of the ANC will look at these developments and respond appropriately.”

- ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu, in response to yesterday’s decision by the ANC youth league’s national executive committee (NEC) for Julius Malema to continue his role as president, despite a suspension that was imposed by the NDC.

Source: City Press

UN monitors begin work in Syria, Breivik stands trial over Norway killings and World Bank to choose new chief. Here are the morning headlines you need to know:

(more…)

President Jacob Zuma is to marry his long-time fiance, Bongi Ngema, next weekend, the Sunday Times reported in its early edition on Saturday evening.

The president’s spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, confirmed to the newspaper that the president would formalise his relationship with Ngema at a private traditional ceremony in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.

Read more here (via iAfrica.com)

ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema is in for a momentous weekend as he appeals against his temporary suspension today and the league’s executive holds its twice-postponed special meeting tomorrow to chart the way forward.

This comes as his financial woes also appear to be mounting. Construction at Malema’s multi-million rand Joburg home has been halted, reportedly due to non-payment of R400 000, according to Beeld newspaper.

Read more here (via Independent Online)

Angelina Jolie, 36, and Brad Pitt, 48, a Hollywood megastar couple since 2005, are engaged, Pitt’s representative said Friday.

“Yes, it’s confirmed. It is a promise for the future, and their kids are very happy. There’s no date set at this time. Brad designed the ring,” the representative, Cynthia Pett-Dante, told CNN.

The longtime couple had been insisting that they wouldn’t marry unless the nation’s laws allowed all couples to marry.

Read more here (via CNN)

“One could just as well say that all those well-connected ANC leaders who are involved in business should get out of politics. Politics and business are interwoven. Whatever is done in one sphere has an impact on the other.”

- IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, responding to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe’s statement earlier this month that Nedbank’s Reuel Khoza should not be talking about politics, but rather about business.

–

Source: News24

Need a book or two to keep you cosy this winter? We’re giving away an English and an Afrikaans book to two of our lucky readers! ‘Like’ us on Facebook and visit our WIN WITH NEWSNOW and WEN MET NUUSNOU tabs in order to enter. Winners will be announced in the magazine. Terms and conditions apply!

(more…)

Defying warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Friday, but it broke apart before escaping the earth’s atmosphere and fell into the sea.

(more…)

Three years after criminal charges were withdrawn against President Jacob Zuma, the South African public will finally have an insight into the controversial spy tapes that got him off the hook.

In a U-turn necessitated by an order of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the National Prosecuting Authority yesterday revealed that it would comply and file transcripts of the tapes.

The tapes have been a closely guarded state secret since their existence came to the fore in 2009 and have become a nightmare for both Zuma and the NPA and some of its structures.

Read more here (via Times Live)

Zuma’s threat to party dissidents, SA’s disturbing drug mule trend and measuring national happiness. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find inside the 31st issue of NewsNow:

(more…)

Did you outsmart us? Check out NewsNow’s 28th issue coffee break solutions below:

(more…)

“As you can see, he is fit as a fiddle. Why do we spread rumors? It’s all lies  told by a press driving an imperialist agenda”

- Webster Shamu, Zimbabwean Minister of Publicity and Information, accusing the western press of  delivering false reports about Robert Mugabe’s state of health

Source: TIME

A mother in Argentina says she fell to her knees in shock after finding her baby alive in a coffin in the morgue nearly 12 hours after the girl had been declared dead.

Analia Bouter named her newborn Luz Milagros, or “Miracle Light.” The tiny girl, born three months premature, was in critical but improving condition Wednesday in the same hospital where the staff pronounced her stillborn on April 3.

The case became public Tuesday when Rafael Sabatinelli, the deputy health minister in the northern province of Chaco, announced in a news conference that five medical professionals involved have been suspended pending an official investigation.

Read more here (via The Huffington Post)