THIS WEEK

 

15: Trial of a truck driver facing 20 murder charges relating to a crash that happened in Pongola in 2022. The KwaZulu-Natal High Court last week heard a pre-trial conference for Sibusiso Siyaya (Durban).

  

16: Acclaimed South African artist Esther Mahlangu will be awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of SA in recognition of her mathematical prowess. Mahlangu will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (Honoris Causa) at a graduation ceremony. Mahlangu, a self-taught artist with no academic qualifications, is known for her bold large-scale contemporary paintings that are colourful, geometric and a reference her Ndebele heritage (Pretoria).

  

16-17: International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communication (Dire Dawa, Ethiopia)

  

17-18: 1st Southern Africa And 2nd East Africa LPG Expo. The premier event will seek set to shape the trajectory of the thriving LPG market in the Southern and East Africa region. More than 40 exhibitors and 2 000 regional stakeholders have registered (Maputo).

  

19: International Conference on Public Health Management and Policy (Maseru)

 

19: Bail application for six men arrested in connection with the hijacking and murder of Kaizer Chiefs football player Luke Fleurs two weeks ago. The suspects have been charged with murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice (Roodepoort).

 

21: UN World Creativity and Innovation Day

 

21-1: Marathon des Sables. A six-day 250km ultramarathon, which is approximately the distance of six regular marathons. This multi-day race is held every year in the Sahara Desert (Morocco).

 

22: The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards. Two-time World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi and Ivory Coast football star Sébastien Haller have been nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year.  South Africa’s national rugby team has been nominated for Team of the Year. Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon has been nominated for Sportswoman of the Year (Madrid).

  

OTHER:

  

* More than 6 000 Sudanese have arrived in Libya since the outbreak of civil war in Sudan last April, according to report published by the International Organisation for Migration. This brings the total number of Sudanese migrants currently living in the country to about 125 363.

  

* South African born Lauren Dickason, convicted for the murder of her three daughters in New Zealand, will be sentenced in June. Dickason was found guilty by a New Zealand court in August 2023 for the murders of six-year-old Lianè, and two-year-old twins, Maya and Karla on 16 September 2021, just weeks after the family emigrated. Dickason, a medical doctor by profession, had pleaded not guilty to charges of murder by reason of insanity. She was due to be sentenced in December and the matter was postponed to March. However, further delays has resulted in the date being set for 26 June.