WITH the new year just having started and schools re-opening soon, you might have missed out on some stories that made headlines this past weekend.
But worry not, Daily Sun has highlights of some of the stories that had people talking over the weekend.
On Sunday, 7 January, social media went into a frenzy when news spread that President Cyril Ramaphosa was hospitalised.
This after he was meant to attend a church service at Church on the Hill in Mbombela, Mpumalanga on Sunday, 7 January, but was a no show.
Instead, his deputy, Paul Mashatile, who was scheduled to address congregates at Alliance Church of God in Barberton, had to stand in for him.
Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya then had to dismiss rumours making the rounds on social media about the president being attacked by a stroke.
He addressed the malicious rumour doing the rounds about the president's health and that he had been hospitalised.
ALSO READ | River baptism takes bloody turn!
"The president is fine. He was never hospitalised and there was no emergency. He attended a meeting and decided to spend the rest of the day at home ahead of a busy week," said Magwenya.
In other news, Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela and other law enforcement officials led Operation Shanela in Soshanguve and Rietgat in Tshwane on Saturday, 6 January.
Mawela said detectives around the province managed to arrest 874 known and wanted suspects from Friday, 5 January, until the early hours of Saturday morning. He said half of those numbers were people arrested for contact-related crimes.
He said 13 people were arrested for drinking in public, especially ekasi.
"We are appealing to citizens that in terms of the laws of the land, you are not allowed to drink in public, you either drink at home or at a liquor outlet which is having a license."
Mawela said drinking in public and on the streets is not allowed.
"That's where we get people who are being killed by vehicles."
He said they decided to visit Soshanguve and Rietgat as there is a problem with the online market where people advertise certain goods through the Facebook market.
"When you come and buy those goods, you become robbed. This has been happening in Winterveldt, Mabopane, Garankuwa, and parts of Hammanskraal," he said.
Mawela said that he came to address the issue of Jukulyn and has put up a team of TRT, Public Order Police, detectives, and crime intelligence.
ALSO READ | Singer's family asks for prayers!
He said since the team was established, over 49 illegal firearms have been recovered, and over 22 vehicles have been recovered, which were used in the commissioning of crime, especially by online criminals.
Moving onto entertainment news, music producer Mondli Ngcobo broke the silence on the death of his baby mama, Mandy Malebo.
The 28-year-old passed away on Thursday, 4 January and when news of her death broke, social media users alleged she died as a result of suicide. They blamed Mondli as the cause of it.
This is because in 2022, Mandy created a video accusing Mondli of being a deadbeat dad. At the time, the video trended for days and Mondli was attacked by social media users.
Since the news of her passing, the video has resurfaced on socials and has prompted conversation among users who have blamed Mandy’s death on Mondli.
However, Mondli has responded to the claims and said: “I have heard all kinds of hurtful speculations about the cause of death and about me, but personally I urge you to give her family space and grace to mourn the loss. I am awaiting for her family to finalise the details of laying her to rest and I will then share with you accordingly.”
