Extreme weather warning, and blaze ravages Tshwane township

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

• State capture-accused linked to lottery tender company: A person linked to the state capture project and the looting of the National Lottery Commission, has business ties to a contender for a multibillion-rand national lottery contract. This connection raises concerns about the integrity of the tender process overseen by the Commission. [Business Day]

• Blaze ravages Tshwane informal settlement: Over 2,000 residents have lost their homes in the City of Tshwane following a destructive fire. The blaze destroyed over 814 structures at the Cemetery View informal settlement. One person died, and others have been hospitalised. Community leader Banele Tshoko said the municipality instructed them not to rebuild their structures. [EWN]

• KZN extreme weather continues: The Cooperative Governance Department in KwaZulu-Natal has warned residents to stay indoors over the next few days – as inclement weather conditions are expected to persist. On Friday night, a number of motorists and commuters were stranded on the N3 highway after being blocked by heavy snowfall. Disaster management teams have since been dispatched to attend to the situation and also provide humanitarian aid. [EWN]

• Ramaphosa in New York for UN: President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in New York to lead the South African delegation at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Welcomed by key officials, Ramaphosa is set to address the Assembly on September 24, focusing on international peace, the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, and pandemic preparedness. Ramaphosa will also participate in the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Summit of the Future and engage with business leaders to promote foreign investment in South Africa. [SA News]

• Markets: The rand softened on Friday, cooling off after strong gains in a week that saw interest rate cuts by both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the South African Reserve Bank, plus a local inflation print. On Monday (23 September), the rand was trading at R17.40 to the dollar, R23.20 to the pound, and R19.42 to the euro. Oil is trading at $75.10 a barrel. [Reuters]