5 important things happening in South Africa today

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

• A follow-up report from investigative group amaBhungane now points the finger at public enterprises minister Lynne Brown who has reportedly been caught out misleading Parliament, denying to MPs that any deals and contracts had been concluded between Eskom and Gupta-linked firm, Trillian – when in fact, evidence shows there were many transactions between the two groups. Brown is in the spotlight for signing off on Brian Molefe returning to Eskom as CEO.

• The Molefe issue appears to be putting president Jacob Zuma on a collision course with his own party, as the ANC has expressed in no uncertain terms that it wants Molefe gone from Eskom – however the executive’s ties to the Gupta family put him squarely in Zuma’s camp. Zuma, who was at the meetings calling for Molefe to go, has not made his official position on the matter known.

• The DA’s coalition government in Nelson Mandela Bay is on shaky ground as UDM leader Bantu Holomisa lashes out at DA mayor Athol Trollip for unilaterally axing the deputy mayor (and UDM member) in the region. Holomisa said it was not up to Trollip to decide, and that the deputy mayor had not stood trial for anything, leaving the mayor’s claims untested. Trollip is accusing the deputy mayor of maladministration.

• Controversial SABC executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng is running out of options, as the latest attempt to delay disciplinary proceedings against him have failed. Motsoeneng’s lawyers are seeking to have all his disciplinary hearings combined – the executive faces punishment for holding a bizarre string of press conferences, which the SABC claims brought the group into disrepute.

• South Africa’s rand retreated from three-week highs on Wednesday as concerns over the fate of promised U.S. fiscal stimulus pulled investors away from emerging currencies into safe-haven assets. On Thursday the rand was trading at R13.32 to the dollar, R17.25 to the pound and R14.82 to the euro.