The family of the late former Gauteng Health MEC Brian Hlongwa says he always wanted to prove his innocence, following a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report implicating him in alleged corruption in the department during his tenure.
At the time of his death, Hlongwa together with his wife Joeline and six others were facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering in relation to multi-million rand transactions in the provincial health department.
The accused were due to go on trial in April next year. Hlongwa denied all the allegations against him.
Funeral details are yet to be made public.
Hlongwa’s brother Vusi says, “He fought very hard to clear his name. He would have loved to have his day in court in the first two years of the allegations because he was concerned… unfortunately, this thing dragged for such a long time.”
“As far as the people of South Africa are concerned, I think the family would ask to be given the privacy to mourn the loss of our brother and surely, if he had his time, he would have proven his innocence.”
Credit: Caleb Azumah Nelson/Instagram Ghanaian British author Caleb Azumah Nelson is the winner of the 2024 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for his novel “Small…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/montreal-fans-walk-the-track-at-the-canadian-grand-prix.jpg?id=60677118&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>If you're planning to hit up the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-grand-prix" target="_blank">Canadian Grand Prix</a> this weekend — or just soak in the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/grand-prix-weekend" target="_blank">city's wild race weekend energy</a> — the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-weather" target="_blank">weather</a> might finally be on your side.</p><p>While Montreal is starting the week off on a wet note, with rain expected Monday and Tuesday, the skies are forecast to clear by midweek. And just in time as the weekend is shaping up to be (mostly) dry, sunny, and mild across the board.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://weather.gc.ca/en/location/index.html?coords=45.529,-73.562" target="_blank">latest forecast from Environment Canada</a>, Friday (June 13) should bring sunshine and a high of 21°C for the first practice session.</p><p> Saturday is expected to be a mix of sun and cloud with a high around 20°C, and only a small chance of showers overnight. While that could affect the city's nightlife scene, folks at the track should be in the clear.</p><p> Sunday — race day — looks even better, with a high of 24°C and more sun in the mix.</p><p>That's a sharp contrast from last year, when a rain-soaked track at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve caused chaos right out of the gate. The 2024 Grand Prix saw two drivers collide on the opening lap, prompting a safety car and kicking off a wet and wild race that kept teams scrambling.</p><blockquote class="rm-embed twitter-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1799936008202727505">
<div style="margin:1em 0"></div> — (@) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1799936008202727505"></a>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <p>This year's calmer, clearer weather should make for a much smoother ride — whether you're in the stands, at a terrasse, or just following the action from one of <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal-grand-prix-parties-2025" target="_blank">Montreal's many Grand Prix parties</a>. Winds are expected to be light, the UV index will be high, and there are no major alerts in effect for the city.</p><p>So yes, make sure to pack sunscreen and shades instead of umbrellas, and get ready for a proper summer weekend.</p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/restaurant-reflection-blur-reflection-in-a-restaurant-windows-in-downtown-montreal-quebec-canada-taken-from-a-driver-seat.jpg?id=61142115&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Flaking on your <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-restaurants" target="_blank">restaurant reservation in Quebec</a> could soon cost you.</p><p>Starting July 17, restaurants across the province will be allowed to charge a $10 no-show fee when customers fail to show up for a reservation — but only if a few conditions are met.</p><p>Back in March, <a href="Back%20in%20March,%20MTL%20Blog%20covered%20the%20province's%20plan%20to%20introduce%20this%20penalty,%20which%20is%20now%20set%20to%20take%20effect%20in%20just%20a%20few%20weeks." target="_blank">MTL Blog covered the province's plan to introduce this penalty</a>, which is now set to take effect in just a few weeks.</p><p>The new rule, announced Thursday by Quebec's Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette and Minister for the Economy Christopher Skeete, aims to help restaurant owners deal with the growing problem of "ghost reservations" while protecting customers from unfair charges.</p><p>"This new framework is an opportunity to remind everyone that if you are unable to honour your reservation, the least you can do is cancel it," Jolin-Barrette said in a <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/reservations-fantomes-dans-les-restaurants-des-penalites-pourront-s-appliquer-des-le-17-juillet-844728188.html" target="_blank">news release</a>.</p><p>Here's how the $10 fee works:</p> <ul> <li> It only applies to reservations for two or more people</li> <li> The restaurant must inform you ahead of time that a fee may apply</li> <li> They have to confirm your reservation between 6 and 48 hours before the meal (unless you booked within that window)</li> <li> You must be able to cancel easily at any time, like by text or online</li> <li> The fee can't be charged if you cancel at least three hours in advance</li> <li> And it only kicks in if no one in the group shows up</li> </ul> <p>Restaurant owners have long complained about the cost of last-minute no-shows. According to the Association Restauration Québec, the average restaurant loses $49,000 a year to ghost reservations, and some lose nearly double that. In total, Quebec eateries could be missing out on over $400 million annually.</p><p>A recent Léger poll found that 70% of Quebecers support the idea of a no-show fee, suggesting that most diners agree — if you book a table and can't make it, the least you can do is cancel.</p><p>For more information, visit the <a href="https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/commercant/nouvelles-obligations" target="_blank">Office de la protection du consommateur</a>.</p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>
