Daily news update: EFF suffers court blow, Moseneke on elections and Zuma’s arms deal corruption trial

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Moseneke report: Elections unlikely to be free and fair if held this year

Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke’s inquiry into the feasibility of holding local government elections this year said on Tuesday afternoon that scheduled elections for this year would likely not be free and fair.

The elections will more than likely now have to be postponed to February 2022, which is the date Moseneke supports.

He added that between now and scheduled elections of October 27, there would not be enough time for either the IEC or political parties to prepare for elections and campaign fairly and freely in the midst of a lockdown.

High court dismisses EFF case on CR17 bank statements

The High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday morning ruled that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 bank records should remain sealed following an application by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to have the public gain access to the information.

The case was dismissed with costs in a short judgment.

In 2019, a front-page report in The Sunday Independent detailed a list of the prominent names of individuals and groups who donated funds to Ramaphosa’s CR17 Nasrec election campaign to become ANC president in 2017.

Health warning issued by environmental organisations after KZN chemical spill

A serious, albeit unofficial, public health warning has been issued by the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and groundWork, following a plethora of hazardous chemicals that leaked out of a UPL warehouse in Cornelia last week. 

The warehouse was one of many targeted during widespread looting, violence and unrest in Gauteng and KZN, and has since seeped toxic, hazardous chemicals into the Umhlanga river and lagoon. 

Mdluli and co-accused’s corruption trial postponed again

The High Court in Pretoria this week again postponed the corruption matter involving SAPS former Crime Intelligence Head Richard Mdluli, former supply chain manager Heine Barnard and former chief financial officer of the State Security Agency Solomon Lazarus to 7 September.

The matter was postponed with Mdluli in court, but the other two accused were not present due to Covid-19 related issues, said Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka in a statement.

Zuma gets his wish – arms deal trial postponed to August

The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday granted former president Jacob Zuma a postponement of three weeks for his arms deal corruption trial.

Judge Piet Koen, who presided over the proceedings, delivered the ruling on Tuesday morning.

Koen had adjourned the case on Monday after he heard a long day of arguments between Zuma’s counsel – advocate Dali Mpofu and advocate Thabani Masuku – as well as advocate Wim Trengove, who is representing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and its lead prosecutor, Billy Downer.

Eskom R745 million Kusile corruption case moved to August

The Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Tuesday postponed the Eskom’s R745 million Kusile power station corruption case to a later date.

The case was postponed to 19 August to allow former Eskom senior official France Hlakudi to find a new lawyer after a second attorney withdrew for financial reasons, according to Investigating Directorate (ID) spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka.