5 important things happening in South Africa today
·8 Mar 2018
Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has met with ratings firm Moody’s and has assured it that government’s move on land reform – to review section 25 of the Constitution – will not impact the economy. He told Moody’s that accelerated land reform will happen within a clear legal framework, and will not disrupt agricultural production and food security in South Africa.
- Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has set up a team of experts to tackle the state capture inquiry, which started its work on 1 March, and will start its sittings in the coming months. The inquiry has been given powers to deal with ‘hostile’ witnesses, and also has the legal power to compel any witnesses to appear before it.
- NPA boss Shaun Abrahams has denied accusations that the prosecuting office purposely delayed the Hawks to allow the Guptas to flee the country. Acting Hawks boss Yolisa Matakata said that the elite crime fighting unit was ready to move on the Guptas in November 2017, but the NPA delayed the process. Abrahams said that the NPA was not politically captured.
- Internal polling of the DA shows that the party’s support is in decline, with electoral support at pre-2016 levels of 24.5%. The party had expected support to grow to over 30% ahead of the the 2019 national elections. Growing support for ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa, and the DA’s botched handling of the Patricial de Lille saga are reportedly behind the decline.
- The rand weakened on Wednesday along with other emerging markets as investors dumped risky assets after a key free trade advocate in the White House resigned, fanning fears US President Donald Trump will trigger a trade war. On Thursday, the rand was at R11.84 to the dollar, R16.45 to the pound and R14.68 to the euro.
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