Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·28 Feb 2023

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

• Gordhan aware of corruption: Pravin Gordhan says Andre De Ruyter did speak to him about alleged corruption at Eskom but failed to provide any evidence. Gordhan said that he could not act on speculations and urged De Ruyter to go to law enforcement agencies and provide evidence of his claims. He added that he knows about corruption at Eskom and also referred to corruption at SARS and Transnet during state capture. [News24]

• Karpowership explanation: The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it will not prosecute Karpowership’s environmental consultants as the case hinges on a single witness. The NPA said that there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution. However, the NPA also revealed that a government official alleged the consultants told him that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was aware of Karpowership’s attempts to bypass environmental laws. [amaBhungane]

• Claim your dead: The Gauteng health department says it is concerned about the increasing number of unidentified and unclaimed bodies at Forensic Pathology Service (FPS). The department said that over 900 bodies were still unclaimed across Gauteng’s mortuaries. The Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC said that if a body remains unidentified for 30 days after exhausting means of identification, pauper burial processes are followed. [City Press]

• Strike warning: Eight unions threaten to strike over unresolved salary increases for the last financial year. The government refuses to meet the union’s 10% pay hike demand. Unions have been mobilising and served the government with a notice last week. The unions also did not attend a Special Council meeting with the government last Friday. The meeting was meant to start negotiations for the 2023/2024 financial year, but the unions said they will not engage in new wage talks when last year’s problems are not yet resolved. [eNCA]

• Markets: The South African rand regained some ground on Monday against a weaker US dollar after a stretch of losses that saw it end last week at its lowest level so far this year. Today will see the release of January money supply, trade and budget figures, as well as fourth-quarter unemployment numbers. On Tuesday (18 February), the rand was trading at R18.45/$, R19.53/€, and R22.22/£. Brent crude is trading at $82.59 a barrel. [Nasdaq]