Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·31 Mar 2023

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

• Cele investigated: The Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) is investigating allegations that police minister Bheki Cele, police commissioner Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola and Hawks boss Godfrey Lebeya and other police bigwigs unlawfully issued security clearance to two officers. Cele is alleged to have issued a top-secret security clearance to a Hawks officer on the recommendation of Lebaya. [News24]

• Banks linked to money laundering: Officials at South African banks are allegedly helping gold smugglers launder millions of dollars. Investigations have revealed that officers at three banks are being paid by a known money launderer and a gold smuggler. The officers would allow suspicious money transfers from the launderer’s companies and remove all evidence from their computer systems. [Al Jazeera]

• Mangaung prison’s new head: National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale says security company G4S was no longer running the Mangaung Correctional Centre with a temporary manager put in charge. The announcement follows the escape of ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester. An investigation by the Department of Correctional Services said that G4S’s director lost control of the correctional facility. [GroundUp]

• New Ekurhuleni Mayor: African Independent Congress’s Sivuyile Ngodwana is the new Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni. Ngodwana was elected after the DA’s Tania Campbell was removed from the role in a motion of no confidence. The city will have a new multi-party coalition which will be headed by the ANC and EFF. Ngodwana said that the parties rallied together to remove the DA-led coalition due to a lack of service delivery for many South Africans. [EWN]

• Markets: South Africa’s rand strengthened against the dollar on Thursday after the central bank raised its main interest rate by a higher-than-forecast 50 basis points to 7.75%. A majority of economists polled by Reuters had expected the South African Reserve Bank to announce a 25 basis point increase. On Friday (31 March), the rand was trading at R17.86/$, R19.46/€, and R22.13/£. Brent crude is trading at $79.16 a barrel. [Nasdaq]