2022: Here are the big events we can expect
Image: REUTERS/MIKE HUTCHINGS
The year 2021 brought with it the continuation of Covid-19 restrictions and the spread of new variants. Former president Jacob Zuma hogged the headlines after he was arrested, leading to a six-day looting spree in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng which threatened to bring the country to a standstill. The year ended on a sad note when Anglican archbishop, theologian and human rights activist Desmond Tutu died after Christmas at the age of 90.
Here’s a look at what we can expect in the new year:
2022
January:
January 4: A 49-year-old man arrested in connection with the fire that caused extensive damage to the parliament precinct in Cape Town is due to make his first appearance in court.
January 8: The ANC’s annual birthday celebrations.
January 9: The Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament hosted in Cameroon.
January 17: Trial date for the four police officers accused of murdering Mthokozisi Ntumba during a student protest in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. They have all pleaded not guilty.
January 17: Klerksdorp magistrate’s court trial of Seun Joubert, 44, and Isabelle Francis, 35, whose baby died of malnutrition.
January 17-30: Australia Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
January 19: Nelson Mandela funeral fraud case against axed Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba and 13 others, charged with fraud, money laundering, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act and corruption.
January 20: Former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and former deputy commissioner Bonang Mgwenya asked the court to investigate delays in the R191m police “blue lights” case. The charges relate to a multimillion-rand tender which Vimpie Manthata’s company, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement, was awarded to fit emergency lights to police vehicles.
January 21: The Bosasa Operations R1.8bn fraud and corruption case to resume.
January 21-23: Winter X Games 26 extreme sports event in Aspen, Colorado in the US.
January 22-28: Special Olympics World Winter Games, postponed from 2021, in Kazan, Russia.
January 26: The case of the State Security Agency IT employee, Thuso Leonard Oesi, who is accused of trebling his salary to R174,000 is due back in the Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court.
January 28: Flavio Hlabangwane returns to the Protea Glen magistrate's court after human body parts were allegedly found in a fridge at the Soweto home he was renting in November last year.
January: The case against EFF councillor Anthony Matumba, who is alleged to be behind the fake @Tracey Zille Twitter account used to spread disparaging, racist and harassing comments towards black women, in the Louis Trichardt Equality Court, was postponed to January 2022.
February:
February 1: Chinese New Year 2022.
February 1-5: The Judicial Service Commission is set to hold interviews for the new chief justice.
February 4-20: Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
February 5 to March 19: Six Nations rugby tournament.
February 10: President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in parliament, at 7pm.
February 21: Two Eskom employees at the Tutuka power station and a supplier are due in the Standerton magistrate’s court for the theft of about R100m worth of fuel oil a month.
21 February: The Ace Magashule case resumes at the high court in Bloemfontein. The Suspended ANC secretary-general and his 15 co-accused have been charged with fraud, corruption, theft, and money laundering relating to an R255m contract for the assessment and removal of asbestos housing material.
March:
March 1-2: Africa Energy Indaba 14th edition.
March 4-13: Winter Paralympics in Beijing, China.
March 4 to April 3: ODI World Cup for women cricket tournament in New Zealand.
March 13: Cape Town Cycle Tour.
March 29: Special Tribunal will hear Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and Transnet v CRRC E-Loco Supply (Pty) Ltd and Others. The sum of R4.2bn held in bank accounts linked to a locomotive supplier has been frozen, as the funds are believed to be linked to allegations of state capture or maladministration and irregularities to influence where Transnet awarded the tenders.
March: The Passenger Rail Agency of SA says trains will return to full service in March or April 2022.
March 31: Driver’s licence renewal grace period extended to March 31 2022.
April:
April 7-10: Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia in the US.
April 11: The five men implicated in the murder of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa will go on trial.
April 11: Date set for former president Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial.
April 16-17: Two Oceans Marathon
May:
May 9-13: The R1.9m New Vosloorus Hospital Taxi Rank trial in the matter between the SIU and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality v Kubwa Kazi Construction and nine others will sit at the Special Tribunal.
May 19-22: US PGA golf tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
May 22 to June 5: French Open tennis tournament in Paris, France.
May 28: Uefa Champions League soccer tournament final in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
June:
June 16-19: US Open golf tournament in Massachusetts.
June 27 to July 10: Wimbledon tennis tournament in London, England.
July:
July: Former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede’s corruption trial tentatively set for July. Gumede and her 21 co-accused appeared on charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering linked to a Durban Solid Waste management tender worth more than R430m.
July 1: Aarto Points Demerit System comes online.
July 1-24: Tour de France cycling race.
July 9-17: One year on: Civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Sparked by the incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma for failing to testify at the state capture inquiry. The protests soon turned into violent looting and riots, said to be the most violence the country has seen since the end of apartheid.
July 14-17: British Open golf tournament in Fife, Scotland.
July 15-24: IAAF World Championships athletics competition in Oregon, US.
July 28 to August 8: Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
August:
August 28: Comrades Marathon.
August 29 to September 11: US Open tennis tournament.
September:
September 9-11: Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.
October:
October 15 to November 19: Rugby League World Cup, postponed from 2021, in England.
October 16 to November 13: ICC World T20 cricket tournament in Australia.
November:
November 21 to December 18: Fifa World Cup soccer tournament in Qatar.
December:
December 26: One year since the death of Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
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