Daily news update: State capture report, Covid-19 fifth wave and R350 grant

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Daily news update 30 April

Zondo: ANC ‘should be ashamed of themselves’

In part four of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture report, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo writes the governing party ‘should be ashamed of themselves’ for what they had allowed to happen under their watch.

The Presidency released part four of the highly anticipated report, which is comprised of four volumes on Friday.

Its findings are damning for the 2014 Eskom Board and the ANC- particularly former President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet – who were under the influence of a private, foreign family, whose sole interest was fleecing South Africa’s coffers for private interests.

State capture report: Eskom’s 2014 board largely responsible for power utility’s downfall

In the fourth part of the state capture report, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo recommends criminal prosecution of the 2014 board of directors at Eskom.

Zondo said this should be done to “recover all the financial losses suffered by Eskom as a result of decisions taken by the 2014 board (except Norman Baloyi) against the interests of Eskom”.

Zondo said the board “failed to exercise their fiduciary duties and prevent financial prejudice to Eskom, and instead allowed irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure to persist.”

Eskom ready to act against more Gupta-linked staff

Eskom is studying the fourth instalment of the Commission of Enquiry into Allegations of State Capture’s report, to identify whether there are implicated individuals still employed at the parastatal and ‘will take appropriate action as required in line with its policies’.

The presidency released the report, which deals with the Gupta family’s capture of the electricity parastatal and its key coal suppliers on Friday morning.

South Africa on the brink of Covid-19 fifth wave – Phaahla

Speaking during a virtual media briefing on Friday morning, Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla said the Department of Health have noticed a rise in Covid-19 infections over the last two weeks, especially in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

“As of yesterday, Gauteng alone accounted for 53% of positive cases, KZN 23% and Western Cape 11%,” Phaahla said.

Mkhwebane wants Hawks to investigate Gordhan, Kieswetter, Moyane over 2006 IT deal

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane is gunning for Sars boss Edward Kieswetter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, and other former Sars heavyweights, in a report released on Friday, related to a Sars IT contract from 2006.

Mkhwebane released her report into “allegations of violation of the executive ethics code promulgated in terms of section 2(1) executive members’ ethics act, 1998 on Friday afternoon. The release flew somewhat under the radar, as it coincided with the release of part four of the Commission of Enquiry into Allegations of State Capture’s report.

Her investigation, though sixteen years late, centred around allegations of “maladministration, improper conduct and procurement irregularities” in connection with the awarding of a IT contract to software company Budge, Barone & Dominick (BBD).

National Police Commissioner investigates Teffo’s arrest

National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (Saps), General Fannie Masemola has asked his provincial counterpart in Gauteng to submit a report on the high profile arrest of Advocate Malesela Teffo.

Teffo, who is currently representing four suspects accused of murdering soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, had just wrapped proceedings for the day when several heavily armed police officers clad in masks and black berets surrounded the cop-turned-lawyer and proceeded to arrest him.

R350 grant: 7 million people applied since Saturday but there’s limited capacity

Seven million people have applied for the Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month since Saturday. But the department says its current budget only caters for 10.5-million people per month.

Seven million people have already applied for the R350-a-month Social Relief of Distress grant since applications opened last Saturday, according to Brenda Sibeko, deputy director-general of the Department of Social Development.

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