5 things you need to know in South Africa today
·11 Oct 2016
Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:
- President Jacob Zuma is once again doing everything in his power to delay and frustrate exiting Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela’s investigation into his business relationships and allegations of state capture. Zuma is now requesting that Madonsela hand over her dossier, so that he can access her witnesses – and he is refusing to answer the questions put to him. Legal experts predict that Zuma may interdict the investigation.
- Students say they will continue to protest after a day of causing havoc in Johannesburg’s city centre, where shops were stones and a bus was set alight. Wits SRC secretary-general Fasiha Hassan said that it wasn’t students that were behind the acts – and if it was, it was because Wits university security and the SAPS chased them from campus. Wits said it will remain open, while other universities remain closed.
- Cabinet will finally get to see the country’s integrated energy plans – the blueprint of South Africa’s energy needs – this week, energy minister Tina Jomat-Pettersson has said. The unreleased plans are part of the reason the procurement process for the country’s nuclear power plants has not started, as other departments say the documents are out of date and out of touch with the country’s energy needs.
- Executive pay is once again being thrust into the spotlight as Murray & Roberts CEO Henry Laas got paid R14.7 million for the latest financial year – despite the company’s profits declining for a third year in a row. High executive pay is causing a stink following the news that Shoprite CEO, Whitey Basson, took home a massive R100 million paycheque for 2015/16.
- South Africa’s rand firmed against the dollar on Monday as investors, seeing less chance of a victory by Republican nominee Donald Trump in next month’s U.S. presidential election, ventured into riskier emerging markets. On Tuesday, the rand was trading at R13.89 to the dollar R17.11 to the pound and R15.47 to the euro.
In other news: SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s chief enabler, communication minister Faith Muthambi has remained noticeably silent amid calls from the ANC and other parties to sack the broadcaster’s board. Up to the recent turn from the ANC, Muthambi has been Motsoeneng’s biggest supporter in government; however the minister has gone to ground.
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