Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·16 Feb 2018

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

• It is expected that newly elected president Cyril Ramaphosa will make sweeping changes in the coming weeks, particularly to the dysfunctional cabinet he inherited from the Zuma presidency. Among many changes expected to be made, eyes have been put squarely on finance minister Malusi Gigaba, who many speculate will be shipped out of the finance department.

• The State of the nation address has been scheduled for this evening and is all ready to go. The SONA had to be postponed and hurriedly rescheduled to accommodate the resignation of Jacob Zuma and the election of Ramaphosa. Last minute preparations were made on Thursday with the invitations sent out to delegates.

• The Hawks have confirmed that Ajay Gupta is on the run from authorities. He is reportedly moving from house to house and using burner phones to avoid authorities, while being protected by heavily armed security. His brothers Atul and Tony Gupta are also in the police’s radar. They are wanted in connection with state capture.

• The DA is now facing a dilemma after it failed to oust executive mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille. De Lille survived a no confidence vote tabled against her by one vote on Thursday, a victory that puts the DA leadership’s vicious campaign against her in a poor light. The mayor says she is open to mediation with the party.

• South African stocks index rose as much as 5% on Thursday, putting the main index on track for its biggest one-day gain in more than three years, on Jacob Zuma’s resignation as president, with hopes that new leadership will quicken the pace of economic growth. On Friday the rand was at R11.58 to the dollar, R16.37 to the pound and R14.53 to the euro.