NPA asks for private sector help and good news for South Africa’s rail and ports

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

• NPA to get private sector forensic help: The South African government aims to leverage private sector expertise to remove the country from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and to prosecute complex state capture cases, according to Anton du Plessis, deputy national director of public prosecutions. The plan involves enlisting specialist forensic and financial experts to assist the Hawks with 20 priority cases as part of a broader effort to address a 22-item action plan by a January deadline. [Mail and Guardian]

• Private rail operators to be given access to the network by October: According to a timeline released this week by the transport and logistics committee, a partnership between government and business, private sector companies will be granted access to the national rail network by October. Additionally, a unit dedicated to private sector participation is being created within the Department of Transport and National Treasury to fast-track investments in both rail and port infrastructure. [Moneyweb]

• Justice Department denies blocking NPA access to State Capture data: The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development has refuted claims that the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA)  Investigative Directorate has been unable to access critical information from the State Capture Commission report. This denial follows an investigation by News24, which outlines that the NPA had been blocked from accessing crucial data from the State Capture Commission (the SCC) for over two years – which the department claims is “misleading and factually inaccurate.” [The Citizen]

• KZN grappling with disaster management budget cuts: KwaZulu-Natal’s disaster management budget has been reduced by over 50% to R27.54 million for the 2024/25 financial year, down from R59.756 million previously, despite the region facing severe climate challenges. The decision by the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has not been explained, while funds for “traditional leaders, events, and other matters” have significantly increased. [News24]

• Markets: The rand firmed on Wednesday after domestic retail and U.S. inflation data strengthened expectations of rate cuts. On Thursday (15 August), the rand was trading at R18.07 to the dollar, R23.20 to the pound, and R19.92 to the euro. Oil is trading at $79.95 a barrel. [Reuters]