Mandisa Maya appointed Chief Justice and ANC withdraws Tshwane mayor no confidence motion

Here’s what is happening and affecting South Africa today:

• Mandisa Maya appointed Chief Justice: Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya is set to take over as Chief Justice from 1 September. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Maya late on 25 June after consultations with the Judicial Service Commission and leaders of political parties in the National Assembly. [News24]

• ANC withdraws Tshwane mayor motion of no confidence: The African National Congress (ANC) in Tshwane says it has withdrawn its motion of no confidence in Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink in order to continue engaging with parties that have expressed interest in forming a government of local unity with the party. This comes after the ANC announced its intention to call for a vote of no confidence against Brink, saying the city’s deterioration under Brink’s leadership warrants his removal. [SABC]

• Packaging company pays R21 million price-fixing fine: New Era Packaging paid a R21 million penalty for alleged price-fixing with Mpact, settling without admitting guilt. According to Siyabulela Makunga, spokesperson for the Competition Commission of South Africa, the investigation, which started on May 16, 2016, involved accusations of price fixing, market division, and collusive tendering in the supply of packaging paper. Mpact has agreed to cooperate with the Commission after securing immunity from prosecution. [The Citizen]

• Humanitarian relief provided for Western Cape floods: The City of Cape Town has distributed over 16,000 flood kits to homes in informal settlements and affected areas due to recent floods. More than 37 metro areas, including Khayelitsha and Gugulethu, have been impacted. More rain is expected. The city is also working on relocation strategies for settlements at high flood risk. Meanwhile, the South African Social Security Agency has provided relief to over 13,000 flood victims in the Western Cape, with numbers rising daily. [News24]

• Markets: The rand strengthened against a weaker dollar on Thursday after U.S. economic data readings left intact expectations of an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September. On Friday (26 July), the rand was trading at R18.33 to the dollar, R23.81 to the pound, and R19.92 to the euro. Oil is trading at $82.51 a barrel. [Reuters]