Nit picking in South Africa (and wherever)

[MajGenl.Meade]

Magashule, 63, faces criminal charges for allegedly personally benefiting from money meant to be used to remove asbestos from the homes of people in the Free State province where he was the premier from 2009 to 2018.

Well, our dear friend and former neighbor Elias Sekgobelo "Ace" Magashule has been tossed out of the ANC by the comrades (though not for being the corrupt thug that he is but for not obeying the order for him to step down as Joe Stalin until the court cases were finished).

But what concerns me is this matter of facing criminal charges for "allegedly" personally benefiting etc. Surely, you cannot be charged with allegedly doing something - only for actually doing something. I heard someone on the radio just t'other day saying that some American chap had been charged with "alleged murder". Can one allege in the first, second or third degree?

Is there premeditated alleged murder? Can one be charged with allegedly aiding and abetting an alleged crime?

When did the media become so terrified of calling a charge what it is? "He is charged with personally benefiting.... The allegations having been made by (name or person or agency). . ."

Or am I wrong, allegedly?

[Joe Guy]

I'm inclined to allege that you're allegedly correct.

[Sue U]

Magashule, 63, faces criminal charges for allegedly personally benefiting from money meant to be used to remove asbestos from the homes of people in the Free State province where he was the premier from 2009 to 2018.

Even when I worked in newspapers as a crime reporter, I always thought "allege/allegedly" was grossly over-used and inappropriately deployed, making the word meaningless. But your quote above is just poor writing, not necessarily poor logic, which a copy editor (if they still existed) should have caught, rendering it: "Magashule, 63, faces criminal charges of [what? theft, embezzlement, misappropriation, aggravated mopery? Be specific!]. Prosecutors/police/Inspector Javert allege[ s ] he personally benefited from money meant to be used to remove asbestos from the homes of people in the Free State province, where he was the premier from 2009 to 2018."

[MajGenl.Meade]

That Javert gets around, eh?

[Big RR]

I guess when he jumped in the sewer he was swept out to sea and wound up in South Africa. and here I thought he drowned.

[Sue U]

I'm just glad someone is noticing the jokes!

[MajGenl.Meade]

A KwaZulu-Natal pastor and councillor was shot and killed as he preached - in full view of congregants at his church.

John Myaka, an African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) councillor in the Umhlathuze Municipality, was fatally shot on Tuesday afternoon, at the church based in his home on Amansana Street in the Nseleni Township, Richards Bay.

Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said Empangeni police were investigating a case of murder.

"It is alleged that the deceased was at church when he was shot."

When language goes wild

[Sue U]

"It is alleged that the deceased was at church when he was shot."

But who could know such a thing for certain?

[Big RR]

The Shadow?