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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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?
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”.
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:
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.
Reporting by AFP.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
