Daily news update: Family meeting ‘soon’, another loss for Zuma and first Olympic group announced

Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.

Ramaphosa to address SA ‘soon’ on lockdown measures

Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. Picture: @GovernmentZA/Twitter

President Cyril Ramaphosa will soon address the nation on the government’s Covid-19 response.

That is according to acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni who said on Thursday the Cabinet was consulting on measures to mitigate against the imminent third wave of the pandemic.

“As the Cabinet, we are discussing and consulting on measures to make sure that we protect South Africans. A decision will be taken soon after the consultations and we will announce the date when the president will host a ‘family meeting’,” Ntshavheni said.

ConCourt dismisses Zuma’s R10m cost order appeal, hits him with more costs

Former South African President Jacob Zuma stands in the dock during recess of his corruption trial at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on May 26, 2021. – Jacob Zuma faces 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering relating to a 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and military gear from five European arms firms for 30 billion rand, then the equivalent of nearly $5 billion. He is accused of accepting bribes totalling four million rand from one of the firms, French defence giant Thales. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / POOL / AFP)

Former president Jacob Zuma’s personal cost order against him has been struck off the roll, with costs.

The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) heard Zuma’s application to appeal the estimated R10 million personal cost order against him on Thursday morning.

The case is related to Zuma’s failed bid in 2017 to set aside and later review then public protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report.

The Pretoria high court held the former statesman personally liable for the costs of his application, after finding that Zuma was “completely unreasonable” for opposing the release of the report.

‘We followed the procedures’: Gigaba defends Brian Molefe’s appointment at Transnet

Malusi Gigaba. Picture: Gallo Images

Former minister of public enterprises Malusi Gigaba returned to the witness stand at the commission on Thursday, where the former minister defended the the appointment of Brian Molefe as Transnet CEO in 2011.

Evidence leader Anton Myburgh revealed that Transnet board had shortlisted three candidates, but did not indicate their preferred candidate, which was required.

Responding to this, Gigaba said he does not recall on why the Transnet board did not indicated who was their preferred candidate. However, that did not disrupt the process of recommending a candidate to Cabinet, the former minister said.

Gigaba further said that there was nothing wrong that was done in regards to Molefe’s appointment, saying that they followed the procedures with Cabinet then approving his appointment.

R16.5k for a Gupta laptop? Magashule spent R4.6m on computers he may not have received

Ace Magashule, suspended African National Congress (ANC) secretary general speaks ahead of Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s address following the postponement of his corruption trial outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on May 26, 2021. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)

Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s alleged corruption woes keep adding up after the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) raised further question marks about his spending when he was still premier of the Free State.

Outa in a statement this week said its investigation had brought to light that Magashule’s office was allegedly involved in tender procurement for 277 laptops worth R4.578 million in a deal dating back to 2014, but there was never any certainty that the laptops were “indeed received after payment was made”.

Outa has referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority for further investigations.

Ramaphosa will no longer be testifying at Zondo commission next week

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the State Capture Commission in Braamfontein on 28 April 2021, appearing in his capacity as president of the ANC. Picture: Neil McCartney

President Cyril Ramaphosa will no longer be testifying at the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture on Monday.

On Tuesday, the commission said Ramaphosa would testify in his capacity as the president and former deputy president of the country for two days on 31 May and 1 June 2021.

In a short statement on Thursday afternoon, the commission did not give reasons why Ramaphosa would no longer be appearing as scheduled.

The statement said “further information will be communicated in due course”, without giving new dates for the president’s next appearance.

‘GOODbye, Patricia!’ – Cynthia Jeffreys ditches her sister to join Patriotic Alliance

GOOD party leader Patricia de Lille’s sister Cynthia Jeffreys with PA leader Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Supplied

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure and GOOD party leader Patricia de Lille’s sister, Cynthia Jeffreys, has resigned from her sister’s party and joined the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

Jeffreys, who served as a councillor in the City of Cape Town from 2007 to 2013, said she left the party because her “worth” and “integrity” were allegedly never recognised in GOOD.

“I am now a signed-up member of the Patriotic Alliance,” she said on Thursday.

How Kaizer Chiefs could still get relegated

Erick Mathoho (left) celebrates putting Chiefs 2-0 up against Celtic. But they ended up sharing the points in a 2-2 draw. Picture; Charle Lombard/BackpagePix.

As strange as it seems, there remains the possibility that Kaizer Chiefs could win the Caf Champions League this season and be relegated to the GladAfrica Championship.

Both scenarios are highly unlikely, with Amakhosi by far the underdogs among the four Champions League semifinalists, and with enough sides between them and a relegation play-off spot to make finishing 15^th in the DStv Premiership highly unlikely. Even then, Amakhosi would have the lifeline of the play-offs to cling to.

And yet, it remains a severe embarrassment for Chiefs that, with two games left to play in the season, they are even in a position where relegation is a possibility.

No Wayde, Caster or Jordy as first Olympic group is named

Wayde van Niekerk (centre) on his way to victory in the 200m final at the SA Championships. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images

While there remains uncertainty around the Tokyo Olympic Games, it is all systems go for the South African contingent after the first members of the national team were unveiled on Thursday.

Despite international reports that the Games were still in doubt, host country Japan and the International Olympic Committee had repeatedly insisted the quadrennial showpiece would be held in July and August after being postponed last year due to the ongoing pandemic.

“Through the IOC we are engaging the Japanese government and the city of Tokyo daily,” said SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks.