5 important things happening in South Africa today

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

• Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s scathing report on Pravin Gordhan is being challenged in court. Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos delves into the report and deals with the facts and flaws contained therein  – what she likely got wrong, whether Gordhan’s challenge will succeed, and what happens next in the process. [Daily Maverick]

• Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says that motorists will have a clearer picture of what is happening with e-tolls in August, when government will report back on demands that the system be scrapped. Mbalula said that if the system is done away with, alternatives to raise funds need to be put forward. He said it is a ‘hard debate’ and there will be a lot of engagement with all stakeholders. [eNCA]

• Former head of State Protocol Bruce Koloane says the landing of the Gupta family at the Waterkloof airbase may have happened due to a “misunderstanding”. He denied he was pressured by former president Jacob Zuma to clear the family for landing, saying he had only given an order to expedite an approval process, not approve the landing itself, which he was not empowered to do. [EWN]

• Anti-gun lobby Gun Free SA has called on the SAPS to destroy over 60,000 guns amid am eruption of gang violence in the Western Cape. 13 people were killed over the weekend in Philippi outside Cape Town, which has recorded over 2,000 murders since the start of the year. GFSA says most of the violence is perpetrated using illegal firearms, and the SAPS has a responsibility to destroy the recovered weapons, lest they end up in the hands of criminals. [TimesLive]

• South Africa’s rand steadied against a firmer dollar in afternoon trade on Monday, after last week’s strong US jobs data lowered expectations of a sharp Federal Reserve interest rate cut. On Tuesday the rand was at R14.20 to the dollar, R17.76 to the pound and R15.93 to the euro.