🇿🇦South AfricaSouthern Africa
Tony Yengeni urges supporters to secure two-thirds majority for Jacob Zuma in November elections
via The Citizen2 min read
Tony Yengeni, a prominent figure in the MK party, called on supporters to deliver a “birthday present” to Jacob Zuma in the November 4 elections by securing a two-thirds majority. Yengeni made these remarks during a Youth Day commemoration event at Mayine Sports Grounds in Ermelo, Msukaligwa, on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. He emphasized that the 84-year-old Zuma is “alive and walking on his own two feet,” despite a recent stumble on stage during a celebration. The MK party has experienced significant growth, becoming the third-largest party nationally with 15% support in a 2024 poll by The Brenthurst Foundation, and the largest in KwaZulu-Natal with 45% of the vote. This success has been attributed to “personality politics.” In January, former President Thabo Mbeki suggested that the apartheid government’s national security management system was “activated” to aid the MK party’s electoral success, to the detriment of the ANC. Mbeki alleged that elements of this disbanded apartheid-era system influenced the MK party's performance in the 2024 elections, questioning why the ANC's support declined. The MK party rejected Mbeki’s comments, calling them “politically reckless, socially dangerous and intellectually dishonest,” and accused him of portraying the party as a creation of “counter-revolutionary forces.” The party also criticized Mbeki's handling of South Africa's HIV/Aids crisis during his presidency.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
Online romance and sextortion scams continue to ensnare individuals, particularly men, despite numerous warnings. Scammers employ a manipulation strategy that involves building trust before exploitation. Psychologist Elize Thesner notes that perpetrators identify vulnerabilities in lonely, grieving, isolated individuals, or those seeking care. Scammers patiently build rapport, trust, and emotional connection, showing interest in their target's challenges. This leads to a carefully constructed relationship where victims emotionally invest in a non-existent future, viewing the scammer as a confidant and source of comfort. Psychologist and medical doctor Jonathan Redelinghuys explains that many victims seek intimacy in its broadest sense, not just sex. Sexual content often enters the relationship later, appearing as a natural progression. Emotional attachment can cloud judgment, making it difficult for victims to discern exploitation. Thesner adds that sexual attraction activates the brain's reward systems, reinforcing the relationship and making it harder for victims to recognize warning signs. Scammers also introduce stories of hardship to create a caregiving dynamic, making victims feel like helpers or rescuers. When the deception is exposed, shame becomes a powerful tool, as fear of public humiliation can outweigh financial losses. Thesner concludes that these scams exploit universal human needs like hope, affection, validation, and belonging, effectively weaponizing them.
Must ReadSextortion scams are on the rise again, moving beyond online solicitations to include real-world threats, according to private investigator Brad Nathanson. Victims, often men, are entrapped through adult websites or classified ads where they believe they are interacting with genuine sex workers. The scams can involve online chitchat or physical contact, with demands quickly escalating into threats against spouses, employers, and family members. Some victims are identified after visiting establishments, with their personal information obtained through illicit means. Nathanson cited a businessman who paid R650,000 before seeking help. Teenagers are also targeted, primarily through social media entrapment, as seen in a case where a boy was extorted with intimate pictures. Nathanson attributes the scams' continued success to victims' ego and their reluctance to involve law enforcement due to fear of exposure or further consequences. He advises victims to cut off communication immediately and never engage with unsolicited messages, as continued payments rarely resolve the situation and only encourage the extortionists.
The ANC's Eastern Cape branch is currently without leadership after the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda declared the appointment of the interim ANC provincial task team PTT invalid and set it aside. This ruling effectively leaves the party's Eastern Cape branch leaderless, as the previous provincial executive committee PEC was dissolved last month in favor of the now-nullified PTT. The party's decision to install the PTT was challenged by three aggrieved members, including Lwazi Rotya, a Ward 24 branch member, who argued that the appointment violated the ANC's constitution and infringed on their contractual rights. Judge Vuyokazi Pamella Noncembu criticized the ANC's conduct, stating that their behavior "strongly suggests a lack of bona fides" and that the issues could have been resolved without costly litigation if the ANC had been transparent with its members. The court also censured the ANC for presenting a contradictory version and a belated resolution to oppose the matter.