According to ordinary South Africans and journalists 2014 was a very eventful year.
Speaking on theForum @8, SABCnews deputy political editor Mahlatse Gallens says some of the events that grabbed the headlines include the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) performance during the May elections, the Oscar Pistorius trial, and thecollapsing of TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN)in Lagos, Nigeria.
Gallens adds that the Pistorius gave ordinary citizens a chance to know and learn about how the courts operate.
Pistorius is serving afive-year sentenceafter being found guilty of culpable homicide in September for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
During the Pistorius murder trial, his lawyer Barry Roux became a social media hit when his ‘I put it to you’ and ‘my lady’ phrases trended on Twitter.
Many listeners who called the radio station say without a shadow of doubt, the chaos in Parliament grabbed their attention.
In August, members of the EFF disrupted proceedings in the National Assembly while President Jacob Zuma was answering questions.
The impatient EFF MPs were unhappy with Zuma’s answer over the Nkandla debacle and as a result they started chanting “pay back the money” to Zuma.
Political commentator and radio personality Eusebius McKaiser says according to him – the murder of Bafana Bafana and Orlando
Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa was one of the biggest stories that made headlines in the country and around the world.
Meyiwa was killed in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, while visiting his singer and actress girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in October.
In November, the National Union of Metalworkers South Africa (Numsa) also made headlines when it was suspended by the biggest labour federation, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Numsa was expelled, for among other things, violating Cosatu’s constitution.
Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni says although there haven’t been any Ebola cases reported in the country – the disease grabbed national and international headlines around the world.
By December 07, 2014 about 6,583 deaths out of 17 942 cases were recorded.
Cases of the deadly virus have been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone among other countries.
Lately, power utility Eskom has also dominated local headlines when it implemented its load shedding plan across the country.
Eskom has however repeatedly promised that as soon as the Medupi and Kusile power stations begin supplying power to the grid, the country’s electricity woes would be alleviated.
Last week, Minister in thePresidency Jeff Radebeannounced that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will oversee the turnaround of Eskom, South African Airways (SAA) and the SA Post Office.
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– By Tshepiso Moche
