Lions lock Hyron Andrews, 31, died in France on 16 October, a day before the team’s Investec Champions Cup match against La Rochelle. The match is scheduled to go ahead in his honour.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has been pushed out after less than a week in the role following a poorly received press briefing, controversy over her claims to be a lawyer and remarks mocking China’s toilets.

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie paid tribute to 31-year-old Lions lock Hyron Andrews, calling his death on the eve of the Lions’ Investec Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle “a very cruel thing”. Andrews is believed to have died from cardiac arrest, though it seems French police are investigating the death. He was in cardiac arrest when emergency services arrived at the hotel in Sainte-Marie-de-Ré, on the French island of Île de Ré, where the team was training for the next day’s Champions Cup opener against La Rochelle. Shocked McKenzie said he is shocked by Andrew’s death. “Hyron played in a position that asks for nothing but courage; the work nobody sees and the hits nobody counts. He gave that to the Sharks, to Sale, to the Junior Boks and to the Lions, without complaint. To lose him at 31, far from home, on the day before a match his teammates had worked so hard towards, is a very cruel thing,” said McKenzie. “My heart goes out to his family, who have received news no family should ever have to receive, and to his friends and everyone at the Lions and in the wider rugby community who knew him. “To the Lions players who must take the field in La Rochelle tomorrow: you will be carrying a terrible weight, but you will not be carrying it alone. South Africa is behind you,” McKenzie said. Privacy The Minister has asked the public and the media to respect the privacy of Andrews’ family, and to refrain from speculation while the French authorities establish the circumstances of his death. “May his soul rest in peace.” Andrews joined the Lions at the start of this season after a spell with Sale Sharks in England, and had already played in every one of the Lions’ URC matches. Before that, he served the Sharks in Durban for nearly a decade and represented the Junior Springboks in 2015.

There is a lot of noise around Chinese cars in South Africa, and I think we have reached a point where we need to move beyond the jokes, the scepticism and the endless debates about whether we would actually buy one. The reality is that South African motorists are under pressure. Between petrol prices, interest rates, insurance premiums, maintenance costs and the general cost of living, buying a car has become a serious financial decision. We no longer just ask whether a vehicle looks good or has enough power. We want to know whether it is worth the money, whether it will last and whether owning it will make our lives easier or more expensive. And the petrol conversation is also now on everyone’s lips. That is the lens through which I approached the GWM Haval H6 PHEV – and I came away genuinely impressed. Haval is not the unknown newcomer it once was. The brand has established a presence on South African roads and that matters in a market where trust is often built slowly. When you are spending hundreds of thousands of rands on a vehicle, you want more than an impressive showroom experience. You want confidence that parts, servicing and after-sales support will still be available years down the line. Haval has had time to build that local presence. Of course, its long-term reliability still needs to be judged model by model and over years of ownership, but I believe the brand has earned a place in the conversation. The real question: What are we getting for our money? My time with the H6 PHEV made me think about how much our expectations of a family SUV have changed. The interior is comfortable, spacious and modern, with the sort of technology and features that make everyday driving feel less like a chore. There is room for the family, shopping bags, luggage and all the things that accumulate when you are travelling with children. The Haval H6 PHEV offers generous cabin space for the whole family. Picture: Supplied For a South African family, that practicality matters. We want a car that can handle school runs during the week, work commitments during the day and a road trip to Durban, the bush or the Cape when the holidays arrive. I could also see the appeal for a busy Joburg professional. Anyone who regularly navigates traffic between Sandton, Midrand, Rosebank and home knows that comfort is not a luxury when you spend a significant part of your day behind the wheel. The H6 PHEV feels well suited to that reality. It offers space, a comfortable cabin and modern features without making the experience unnecessarily complicated. But at a starting price of R699 900 for the Ultra Luxury 2WD PHEV, the question is whether the package justifies the investment. That is where the plug-in hybrid technology becomes particularly interesting. Petrol is expensive. Can a plug-in hybrid help? One of the biggest frustrations for South African motorists is watching the fuel gauge drop, while the cost of filling up keeps climbing. Every trip comes with a calculation, whether we admit it or not. During my time with the H6 PHEV, I enjoyed being able to charge the battery and switch between driving modes. I was able to charge from around 30% to full in under an hour using the charging setup available to me, although charging times will vary depending on the equipment and power supply. The Haval H6 PHEV plugs in for a charge, combining electric driving capability with the flexibility of a petrol engine. Picture: Supplied The appeal is simple: use electric power for shorter journeys where possible, then rely on the petrol engine when you need the flexibility of a conventional fuel stop. The H6 PHEV has a claimed electric range of up to 106km under favourable conditions. For someone whose daily commute falls within that range, regular charging could reduce petrol consumption considerably. Actual results will depend on driving conditions, speed, terrain, air-conditioning use and how consistently the battery is charged. And this is where I think South African consumers need to be practical. A plug-in hybrid makes the most sense if you have access to convenient charging at home or work. If you can charge regularly, the potential savings become more attractive. If you cannot, you may not realise the same benefits. I would encourage anyone considering this vehicle to calculate their actual daily mileage, compare electricity and petrol costs, and consider the purchase price before making a decision. A cheaper fill-up is great, but the real question is how much you save over the entire ownership period. Comfort is important, but so is peace of mind The H6 PHEV comes with a generous list of features, including a 14.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate and a 540-degree camera. These are not just showroom talking points. They can make a genuine difference to the driving experience, especially when you are dealing with tight parking spaces, long commutes and family travel. The Haval H6 PHEV’s modern interior combines a clean, contemporary design with advanced technology. Picture: Supplied Driving modes switch from eco, to normal, to sport – you pick your poison depending on your mood. Mine will always be sport but to be economical the best is eco, that way you can go two weeks without filling up any petrol. The car also feels sturdy, no odd shaking or struggling up a hill. It has a nice launch to it at the robots with no stalling. I enjoyed the comfortable cabin and the feeling that the vehicle had been designed around convenience. It felt like a car I could use every day without constantly wishing for more space or a better-equipped interior. If you’re going top of the range, you’re looking at leather with all the trimmings – and let’s not forget good boot space and safety for kids. Still, South African consumers know the real cost of a car goes well beyond the purchase price. Insurance, replacement parts, tyre costs, servicing and resale value all matter. The H6 PHEV has a listed seven-year/200 000km vehicle warranty, an eight-year/150 000km battery warranty and a seven-year/75 000km service plan. I would also want to understand how the hybrid battery is covered, what happens after the warranty expires and how the vehicle’s plug-in hybrid system may affect long-term maintenance costs. These are the questions that deserve as much attention as the touchscreen and sunroof. Chinese cars are changing the conversation For years, many buyers gravitated towards familiar badges because they represented a known quantity. There was comfort in buying what your family had always bought, what your mechanic knew and what you believed would be easier to resell. Chinese manufacturers are challenging that mindset by offering increasingly sophisticated vehicles with competitive specifications and technology. I do not think South Africans should buy a Chinese car simply because it has more features for the price. We shouldn’t dismiss it because of where it was manufactured. At nearly R700 000, this is not a small purchase for the average household. It deserves careful consideration, regardless of the badge on the bonnet.

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola has questioned the motives behind his prosecution, suggesting the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) pursued a bigger plan that ultimately failed. Masemola broke his silence on Friday, 16 October, after President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted his precautionary suspension, clearing the way for his return to office on Monday. Speaking to Business Day, Masemola suggested that IDAC’s decision to charge him may have formed part of a broader agenda targeting senior police officials. “Maybe one day we will know what the plan was, but it did not succeed,” he said. MASEMOLA QUESTIONS IDAC’S MOTIVES Masemola said he did not know what motivated investigators to pursue the case but believed they had intended to achieve something beyond his prosecution. His remarks follow the collapse of criminal charges linked to a R228 million SAPS healthcare tender awarded to Medicare24, a company owned by alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. IDAC charged Masemola with four counts of contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). Prosecutors accused him of failing to take appropriate steps to prevent irregular expenditure linked to the contract. He did not face corruption charges. MADLANGA COMMISSION HEARS CLAIMS AGAINST IDAC The Madlanga Commission previously heard allegations that former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson had pushed for criminal charges against Masemola and other senior police officials. IDAC state prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy testified about alleged efforts to target Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo. The commission also scrutinised IDAC’s decision to include Masemola in the Medicare24 corruption case. During her testimony, Johnson struggled to identify the legal basis for joining Masemola to the proceedings. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga questioned whether prosecutors had sought to damage Masemola’s reputation by associating him with corruption allegations. The commission has not established Masemola’s suggestion of a broader plan as fact. NPA ORDERS REVIEW OF FAILED PROSECUTION National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi ordered prosecutors to withdraw the charges against Masemola on 15 September. The decision followed a review of the evidence gathered by IDAC, alongside assessments by a case assessment panel and independent senior counsel. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) concluded that prosecutors had no reasonable prospect of securing a conviction. The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court formally withdrew the charges on 22 September. However, questions remain over how prosecutors handled the case. The NPA referred the matter to the IDAC judge to investigate whether prosecutors committed misconduct when assessing the evidence, enrolling the case and applying the law. The review has not established misconduct. MASEMOLA SET FOR MONDAY RETURN Ramaphosa confirmed on Friday that Masemola would resume his duties on Monday, 19 October, nearly six months after his suspension. The president also thanked Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, who served as acting national police commissioner during his absence. Masemola has indicated that he intends to complete his term, which ends in 2027. His return comes as the Madlanga Commission continues investigating allegations of corruption and criminal interference in South Africa’s law enforcement structures.

31-year-old Hyron Andrews passed away on Friday 16 October while on tour with the Lions in France. Who is the wife he is leaving behind? WHO WAS HYRON ANDREWS’ WIFE MAIGLIN? Hyron was married to Maiglin Andews. The pair got engaged in September 2021. A year later, the pair tied the knot in July 2022 at the BlueBridge Event Centre in Grawn, Northern Michigan. The pair have two children together, young sons – Hendrix and Emerson. The Lions sent their condolences to Maiglin and the children in a tribute. “Our deepest and most heartfelt condolences go to Hyron’s wife, Maighlin, their young sons, and the entire Andrews family. We hold them in our thoughts during this time of unimaginable grief and ask that their privacy be respected as they mourn,” read the statement said. The couple maintained a very low profile, not much is known about Maiglin. She is an American medical practitioner. Her background is in emergency medicine. Maiglin is reportedly from Ironwood, Michigan, in the United States. She met Hyron while she came to Durban, South Africa to study. “One month into my trip, I met my now husband, Hyron. We managed a long distance relationship for over 6 years, got engaged in Ireland in September 2021, and then I moved to Durban full-time in December 2021,” she wrote in a newsletter. WHAT HAPPENED TO HYRON ANDREWS? The Sun reports that Andrews was found unconscious in a shower cubicle at the team’s hotel on the Ile de Re, an island off France’s western coast. This has been the team’s training base since Tuesday. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 10am on Friday morning. Paramedics attended to the player, who was in “cardiorespiratory arrest”. Andrews was pronounced dead after medical personnel responded to the scene. Initial reports claimed that Andrews died of a suspected heart attack. However, a statement from SA Rugby suggests that the rugby star passed away “following an accident while on duty with his team in France”. “SA Rugby on Friday sent its condolences to the family of Lions lock forward Hyron Andrews who passed away tragically, following an accident while on duty with his team in France,” read the statement from SA Rugby. This was just a day before the Lions Champions Cup opener against La Rochelle on Saturday 17 October. The Lions confirmed that the team would honour Andrews by fulfilling the fixture. Further details on the tribute would be communicated in due course. Take a look at five things to know about Andrews here.

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