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Happening in South Africa today – 1 February
The second part of the state capture report will be released today, interviews for the next Chief Justice will take place this week, and Tshegofatso Pule's murder trial continues.
Photo: iStock
From the release of the second part of the state capture report and the fallout of the new Covid-19 regulations to the Chief Justice interviews, here’s what’s happening in South Africa today.
South Africa: 1 February 2022
State Capture report
President Cyril Ramaphosa will receive the second part of the state capture report today, two weeks after the first part of the report was released to the public.
The first part of the report detailed how parastatals were looted and weakened, including SAA, the SA Revenue Service and the Government Communication and Information System.
The third part of the report will be released towards the end of February.
Chief Justice interviews
Meanwhile, the interviews for South Africa’s next Constitutional Court Chief Justice will take place from today until Friday.
The Judicial Service Commission will interview the four shortlisted candidates and then compile a report for President Cyril Ramaphosa in which they will indicate where any, or some, or all of the four candidates are suitable for appointment as chief justice.
The candidates are:
- Acting Constitutional Court Chief Justice Raymond Zondo
- Supreme Court of Appeal President Mandisa Maya
- Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga
- High Court Judge President Dunstan Mlambo
Tshegofatso Pule murder trial
Tshegofatso Pule trial continues today, with murder-accused Ntuthoko Shoba facing charges related to killing Pule – who was pregnant at the time – in June 2020.
As per the results of cellphone mapping, the court heard Pule’s phone was inactive between 6:44 pm and 10:17 pm on the night she was killed – more than three hours.
Ministers held hostage
The military veterans who held ministers hostage are due in court again after 42 of the 53 accused were granted R500 bail on 19 October 2021.
The suspects made their first court appearance on Monday, 18 October, after they were arrested St George’s Hotel in Irene, Centurion on 14 October.
They were charged with kidnapping after they held Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, her deputy Thabang Makwetla and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele against their will.
Covid-19 regulations
With Cabinet approving the changes to Covid-19 regulations, many South Africans expressed concern over the new “no-symptoms-no-isolation” rule.
If you test positive for Covid-19 but don’t show any symptoms, you won’t have to isolate, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele announced on Monday.
He said the decision was taken following meetings of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC).
“The information gathered through the system used by the Department of Health has reported that South Africa has exited the fourth wave nationally,” said Gungubele.
The question remains: What about people at risk of Covid-19?
In Parliament today
Godongwana: World Bank Loan
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will brief Parliament today on the R11-billion World Bank Loan, particularly how the money will be spent and paid back.
This after the World Bank approved the South Africa’s request for a $750m low-interest loan to boost economic recovery post-Covid-19.
Director-General of National Treasury Dondo Mogajane said earlier the loan will “assist in addressing the immediate challenge of financing critical health and social safety net programs”.
Dlamini-Zuma on service delivery
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is scheduled to address the gathering on the advancement of the fundamental precepts of cooperative governance and intergovernmental relations for effective service delivery to communities.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) will in the National Assembly brief Parliament on the reports referred by the SIU – how they have been processed, and DG Public Works.
The committee will also be briefed on the disciplinary case of the Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities: The Commission for Gender Equality will brief Parliament on the following reports:
- Report of the Commission for Gender Equality on Elections and Gender Mainstreaming: Assessing gender issues and women’s representation in South Africa’s 2019 Elections;
- Report of the Commission for Gender Equality on Balancing the scales: Reviewing development in women’s representation in Politics and Government between the 2014 and 2019 Elections;
- Report of the Commission for Gender Equality on Gender Transformation in Tertiary Institutions for 2018/2019;
- Report of the Commission for Gender Equality – Bound by duty to care: Assessing Correctional Service Centres on the Health and Welfare Services for Female Offenders- 2018
The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, its Sub- Committee will be briefed on the renewability or non-renewability process of a Commissioner for the Public Service Commission.
In world news
Reporting by AFP.
Boris Johnson’s ‘partygate’
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday apologised after his government was criticised for “failures of leadership and judgment” in allowing lockdown-breaching parties at his offices.
Johnson’s position has been hanging by a thread because of the steady drip of revelations since late last year, but he has in the last week been given a lifeline as police stepped in.
“I’m sorry for the things that we simply didn’t get right and also sorry for the way this matter has been handled,” Johnson told MPs in parliament.
Brazil landslide
Putin meets with Hungarian PM
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host talks Tuesday with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has taken a softer line on the Ukraine crisis than NATO and the EU, with Hungary a member of both.
The Kremlin said the leaders will discuss trade and energy as well as “the current problems of ensuring European security,” an allusion to the standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine.
Orban has said he will seek an agreement to increase Hungary’s gas imports from Russia at a time when some in Europe accuse Russia of orchestrating an energy crisis with the aim of putting pressure on European countries.
Japan’s missing F-15
Japanese aircraft and boats were searching Tuesday for two crew from a fighter jet that is believed to have crashed after taking off a day earlier, a government spokesman said.
Part of the F-15 jet has been found, but authorities are still searching for the two people on board, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
The jet, which was on a training mission, disappeared from radar shortly after it took off late Monday afternoon, Matsuno said.
Chinese Lunar New Year
As reported by CNET, the Chines Lunar New Year is celebrated by nearly two billion people worldwide on 1 February. Celebrations are set to last for weeks.
The Chinese New Year forms part of the Spring Festival in China and will this year mark the end of the Year of the Ox and the start of the Year of the Tiger.
During this time, it’s tradition to honour ancestors and deities. Family reunions and parades will take place while fireworks will be used to drive off evil spirits.
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