5 important things happening in South Africa today
·26 Feb 2018
Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has grounded ministers as the country waits for a widely expected cabinet reshuffle and announcement of a new deputy president for the country. The president has blocked ministers from travelling overseas on official business, and instead ordered them to focus on service delivery here at home.
- Former president Jacob Zuma is expected to face 18 charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering, after five senior prosecutors at the NPA agreed unanimously to recommend that the charges be reinstated. Outside of the NPA, Zuma will also still face a judicial inquiry into state capture, as the walls close in on his involvement with the saga.
- National Treasury’s decision to hike VAT rates to 15% is facing questions and challenges from political parties. The DA has started a petition against the increase, while the ANC wants to expand the list of zero-rated items that are exempt from VAT, so that South Africa’s poorest and most vulnerable can escape the bulk of the coming pain.
- Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane says she will not resign and will stay in her position until 2023. There have been an increase in calls for her to resign after the botched Absa/CIEX report, in which a court ordered Mkhwebane to pay costs, personally. However, the PP argues that most of her work is good and making a positive impact.
- South Africa’s rand firmed on Friday amid talk that new President Cyril Ramaphosa would likely announce a new cabinet after a party meeting over the weekend, while stocks rose led by the banking sector. On Monday the rand was at R11.52 to the dollar, R16.15 to the pound and R14.21 to the euro.
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