Daily news update: Absa sacks Pityana, Mphephu Ramabulana suffers court blow and illegal immigration scheme arrests

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Absa fires Sipho Pityana as its lead independent director

The Absa Group has fired businessman Sipho Pityana as its lead independent director with immediate effect.

The group made the announcement in a statement on Friday and said: “In accordance with paragraph 3.59 of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements and paragraph 6.39 of the JSE Debt Listings Requirements, shareholders are informed that the Absa Group and Absa Bank boards have resolved that Sipho M Pityana will cease to be lead independent director of Absa Group and Absa Bank, chairman of the remuneration committee and as a consequence, member of the directors’ affairs committee with immediate effect.”

Mphephu Ramabulana suffers another court blow in Vhavenda kingship battle

The acting king of Vhavenda, Toni Mphephu Ramabulana, has suffered yet another court blow after the Constitutional Court dismissed his application for leave to appeal a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal that he should not be Venda king.

The apex court refused condonation after his main application was filed late.

Mphephu Ramabulana and the Mphephu Ramabulana Royal Family Council had approached the apex court in an attempt to overturn the 2019 decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal that set aside former president Jacob Zuma’s decision to install Toni Mphephu Ramabulana as the acting king of Vhavenda.

DA and EFF walk out of first council sitting at uMngeni municipality

The first council sitting of the uMngeni Municipality descended into chaos on Friday as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) staged a walkout over the presence of suspended Municipal Manager Thembeka Cibane.

The councillors refused to participate in the meeting as it would be illegal. Cibane reportedly wanted to preside over the meeting.

“The reason why we could not agree to the meeting continuing was because of the presence of the suspended Municipal Manager, Ms Cibane. The suspension clause number seven says that she cannot be on the municipal premises… which means that her presence here makes this meeting illegal,” Pappas told reporters outside the Howick West Community Hall.

Load shedding: No power cuts this weekend and supply outlook good for next week

Eskom says though power cuts will not be implemented over the weekend, a number of units remain at high risk of tripping.

Giving an update on Eskom’s operations, the power utility’s CEO André de Ruyter said there was no prospect of load shedding during the weekend.

“At this point and time, the outlook for the weekend is good. We don’t see any prospect for load shedding over the weekend.”

WATCH: Gatvol residents demand De Ruyter’s removal outside Eskom HQ

A group of concerned residents gathered outside Eskom’s Megawatt Park headquarters in Sunninghill, Johannesburg, to renew the call for the power utility’s CEO André de Ruyter. 

This follows a bout of unpredictable and escalating power cuts, moving rapidly from stage 4 to 3 just after the local government elections on 1 November. 

Up until 5am on Friday, the country was in stage 2 load shedding. 

Hawks, Home Affairs nab suspects over illegal immigration scheme

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that several people involved in assisting immigrants come into or leave South Africa illegally have been arrested.

The eight people – including six Home Affairs officials, one police officer and one Mozambican woman (a hawker) – were nabbed for fraud and corruption.

The suspects carried out their operation at the Lebombo border post between South Africa and Mozambique in Mpumalanga.

Mantashe and Ramaphosa differ on the just transition from coal

When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the pledge by the US, EU and UK of $8.5 billion (around R130 billion) in funding to speed up South Africa’s shift from fossil fuel reliance, he called it a watershed moment for just energy transition.

A few days later, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, one of the senior leaders in Ramaphosa’s administration, contradicted him. Not directly, but through his call for African governments to unite in opposing the coal ban.