Daily news update: DA guns for Ramaphosa, Thulsie twins, Ladysmith floods

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Daily news update, 18 January

DA asks Zondo to lay perjury charge against Ramaphosa

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is gunning for President Cyril Ramaphosa in its fight against “cadre deployment“.

The DA has written to the chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, requesting that he consider laying perjury charges against Ramaphosa.

The party is seeking a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) order against the President for “misleading” the commission during his testimony on 28 April 2021.

“Ramaphosa denied that the ANC’s cadre deployment committee sought to influence appointments to the judiciary. After he initially denied that the appointment of judges was ever even discussed,” DA MP Leon Schreiber said in a statement on Monday.

Ramaphosa gives Gungubele political responsibility for SSA

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele will assume the political responsibility for the State Security Agency (SSA), the Presidency has confirmed.

“President [Cyril] Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 209(2) of the constitution, designated Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele to assume political responsibility for the control and direction of the State Security Agency,” the Presidency said in a statement on Monday.

“Section 209(2) of the Constitution, which addresses governance of intelligence services, empowers the President to assume political responsibility for intelligence services other than those of the police or national defence force, or to designate a member of Cabinet to assume this responsibility,” the statement reads.

Thulsie twins terror case postponed again

Almost six years after they were arrested, the Johannesburg High Court has ordered that the Thulsie twins’ terrorism trial finally kick off next month.

Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie made another appearance in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.

During proceedings, the state once again said it was ready to proceed with the long-awaited trial, suggesting the date of 7 February to get the ball rolling and put the charges to the accused so they can plead – which will mark the official start of this portion of proceedings.

The twins’ counsel, advocate Abu Bakr Omar, indicated the defence had an availability issue on this date and that he and his team had requested additional information from the state about its case against his clients but that they were still waiting on this.

WATCH: Rescue teams save residents stranded in Ladysmith floods

The Ladysmith CBD is under water after days of heavy rain led to flash floods around the town.

The CBD of the KwaZulu-Natal town has experienced extensive flooding after the Klip River burst its banks on Sunday night.

In the latest news update, the Ladysmith Gazette reported that K9 Search & Rescue teams from Ladysmith and Pietermaritzburg were seen moving along Illing Road on boats and wearing life jackets.

They were trying to help people who were trapped or stranded due to the flash floods on Sunday night.

Ramaphosa: January events a reminder of how strongly SA feels about our democracy

In his weekly letter to the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the dramatic and unexpected events that unfolded in the country on the first two days of 2022 have brought the nation together. 

Ramaphosa referred to the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as the Parliament fire, saying these two events “reminded us of what brings us together as South Africans: our democracy”. 

“We mourn Desmond Tutu because he was the spiritual father of our democracy. We despair at the devastation of our Parliamentary buildings because they are the seat of our democracy.” 

Govt can still introduce demerit point system despite Aarto verdict, say AA and Outa

The government will be able to introduce a driving licence demerit points system despite news of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act and the Aarto Amendment Act being declared unconstitutional and invalid in a judgment handed down in the Pretoria High Court last week.

Both the Automobile Association (AA) and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) are of this view.

However, Outa believes a points demerit system will only work if the underlying administrative systems that make it work, such as the National Traffic Information System (Natis) and post office, are operating efficiently and effectively.

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