5 things you need to know in South Africa today

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

• Anyone who speaks out against president Jacob Zuma must be brought in line and disciplined, according to one of the president biggest allies, the ANC Youth League. The league’s ire was directed specifically ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu, who called for the entire ANC NEC to step down – but also any ANC member who dared to speak out against Zuma. The league also voiced its support for the Gupta family.

• Zuma will face yet another motion of no confidence this week, as speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete has relented to the DA’s demands and put the vote on the schedule for Thursday. Previous no motion votes have been brought by the DA and failed. The ANC has previously take the position to shoot down any attempt by opposition parties to influence its own structures, saying that if the president goes, it will be because the ANC itself wills it.

• Following comments about the ‘slaughter of white people’, EFF leader Julius Malema has faced outcry from various opposition parties, saying that such utterances have no place in a constitutional democracy. The Freedom Front Plus labelled the comment as hate speech, and issued its own warning, saying that white land owners would not “just meekly sit” and let their land be taken away.

• Key witness in the ongoing state capture saga, Vytjie Mentor, has been tracked down by the Hawks,after months of claiming that they could not find her to investigate her claims of meeting with the Guptas and the president and being offered a ministerial position. Mentor reported the matter to the Hawks in March 2016, and says that they only made contact with her now that the Public Protector’s report on the matter was public.

• South Africa’s rand gained over one percent on Monday as growing bets of a win for Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election lifted emerging market currencies, while stocks tracked the currency firmer. Ratings agency Moody’s has endorsed a wage agreement in the Platinum sector, which bodes well for SA’s rating prospects. On Tuesday the rand was at R13.42 to the dollar, R16.63 to the pound and R14.82 to the euro.

In other news: It is election day in the USA, which will see US secretary of state Hillary Clinton go up against businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump. The election result will have far-reaching consequences, influencing even the South African market. US polls show Clinton with a strong advantage; however, some analysts are predicting a close race.