Extortion mafias pick a new target, and Justice Minister still in hot water

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

• Extortionists target initiation season: Extortionists in the Eastern Cape have expanded their scope and are targeting initiates in the bush, demanding protection fees and other items from their helpers. The helpers, usually young boys from the initiates’ families or close neighbours, take food and other items to the bush for the initiates. [News24]

• PAIA request for Simelane’s VBS report: The DA has applied under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) for the report submitted by Justice Minister Thembi Simelane to President Ramaphosa. The report, submitted on September 11, concerns Simelane’s 2016 loan of R575,600 from a VBS-linked broker amid allegations of municipal fund mismanagement. Simelane denies wrongdoing, claiming the loan was repaid with interest. [Business Day]

• Tshwane writes off Hammanskraal water debt: With unanimous backing, the Tshwane Council has voted to write off the R684 million Rand Water debt owed by Hammanskraal residents. The city said this was because Tshwane had been supplying Hammanskraal residents with unsafe drinking water since 2009 while still billing them. [EWN]

• Makana on its knees: Since September 2024, Riebeeck East’s vacuum tanker has been out of service due to unaddressed repairs, causing sewage overflow across the town. The Makana Municipality, with limited equipment, struggles to manage water and waste services. Meanwhile, investigations into financial mismanagement and service delivery failures continue amid ongoing infrastructure crises. [Daily Maverick]

• Markets: The rand strengthened against the dollar on Thursday, after the release of October producer inflation data and the central bank’s November Financial Stability Review. On Friday (29 November), the rand was trading at R18.07 to the dollar, R22.98 to the pound, and R19.12 to the euro. Oil is trading at $73.38 a barrel. [Reuters]