Privatising the Post Office, and tender-rigging bombshell

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

• SAPO turnaround: Communications Minister Solly Malatsi is considering privatising the South African Post Office (SAPO) to address its financial struggles. The post office requires an additional R3.8 billion to implement its approved business rescue plan despite receiving R2.4 billion from the National Treasury in 2023. Malatsi seeks to form a task team with National Treasury’s support to explore private partnerships and potential privatisation scenarios. [EWN]

• ANC tender-rigging bombshell: A senior eThekwini metro executive has made startling allegations that Speaker Thabani Nyawose, embattled City manager Musa Mbhele, and another bureaucrat connived a tender and kickback scheme to finance an internal ANC political campaign. [News24]

• Sport, Arts and Culture Minister back in court: Zizi Kodwa, the former Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, is heading back to the Commercial Crimes Court today, alongside Jehan Mackay, former boss of Enterprise Outsourcing Holdings (EOH). They’re facing allegations of corruption, specifically taking bribes totalling almost R1.7 million. [eNCA]

• GNU in trouble: AfriForum is urging the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) to reconsider their roles in the Government of National Unity if the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA) isn’t amended. This bill has been a point of contention, with AfriForum mobilising its structures nationwide to oppose it during the public consultation period. [SABC]

• Markets: The South African rand took a hit yesterday, weakening against the US dollar due to rising tensions in the Middle East. On Thursday (3 October), the rand was trading at R17.41 to the dollar, R22.97 to the pound, and R19.19 to the euro. Oil is trading at $74.77 a barrel. [Reuters]