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5 things you need to know in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·11 Nov 2016

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

• The ANC has again backed its president, snuffing out the DA’s vote of no confidence in Jacob Zuma; however, the ruling party has argued that the vote was never about Zuma, but rather about control of South Africa’s future. The ANC accused the DA of trying to force regime change in South Africa through Parliament, rather than through the people (via popular vote) – employing tactics used by the CIA, to push the interests of the white minority.

• Insurance claims are pouring in after thousands of Joburg motorists and residents have been hit by unprecedented freak storms across the city. Well over 1,000 insurance claims have been made – while the SA weather service has labelled it a “once in a century” storm. And it isn’t over. More heavy rain and heavy winds are expected, and citizens have been warned to proceed with caution – particularly while driving on now-damaged roads.

• President Jacob Zuma and the ANC will likely challenge former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report into state capture – the main gripe? While Madonsela did the right thing to order a judicial commission of enquiry – welcomed by all parties – the ANC has taken issue with how it must be set up. The party said that Madonsela had no right to order that chief justice Moegoeng Moegoeng be in charge of that process.

• South African sport quotas are back in the spotlight as union Solidarity and AfriForum look to take sports minister Fikile Mbalula to court, to force him to reveal the actual ‘transformation targets’ for sports such as cricket, athletics, netball and rugby. Earlier in the year Mbalula said that sporting bodies would be punished for not meeting these targets, but the actual targets were never made public. Solidarity and AfriForum want the numbers.

• South Africa’s rand slid more than 4 percent against the dollar on Thursday, hitting three-week lows as investors concluded a December Federal Reserve interest rate hike remained on the cards following Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president. On Friday, the rand was trading at R14.03 to the dollar, R17.64 to the pound and R15.30 to the euro.