5 things you need to know in South Africa today
·2 Feb 2017
Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:
- President Jacob Zuma is laying the groundwork to get rid of finance minister Pravin Gordhan, following statements from the ANC’s lekgotla this past week, with Business Day quoting the president as saying that National Treasury is standing in the way of the party’s transformation goals. The statements come amid rumours of an imminent cabinet reshuffle.
- The ANC is coming down hard on South Africa’s banks, with the party’s leagues and leaders putting the likes of Absa, FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank squarely in the cross-hairs. The party is criticising the banks’ dominance in the market, and calling for increased transformation. This is largely seen as ‘retaliation’ for the banks’ position to not do business with the Gupta family – but at the same time is eroding confidence in the market.
- Health groups are not letting former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu off the hook with just a resignation after the medical ombudsman found that 94 psychiatric patients died of starvation under her watch. The SA Medical Association (Sama) is just one of many groups that say that Mahlangu cannot just “walk away”, and needs to be held accountable and face further actions.
- EFF leader Julius Malema is adamant that president Jacob Zuma will seek a third term as president – so that he can avoid future court battles. Speaking tot he Mail & Guardian, Malema said that the tension within the ANC is part of Zuma’s plan to retain the top spot, with “at least 10 people” vying for his job. Malema alluded to his party giving Zuma a hard time during his state of the nation address this year.
- South Africa’s rand strengthened on Wednesday, stretching gains into a second session as upbeat manufacturing data from China helped lift demand for emerging currencies. On Thursday the rand was trading at R13.40 to the dollar, R16.99 to the pound and R14.47 to the euro.
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