Category Archives: South African News

Working Paper – WP/19/02:The role of the rand as a shock absorber

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Publish Date: 2019-05-20
Category: Working Papers
Author: Luchelle Soobyah and Daan Steenkamp

​This paper investigates the impact of rand shocks on industry output and various other South African macroeconomic variables. We use a factor augmented model, which has the key advantage of providing a rich narrative about the disaggregated impacts of exchange rate shocks. We show that the currency tends to react to changes in the relative fundamentals of the economy, such as those captured by commodity export prices, and that the independent impact on the economy of exchange rate changes that are unrelated to fundamentals is estimated to be small. The results suggest that the exchange rate tends to act as a shock absorber to the shocks that hit the economy; a large proportion of the variation in the rand can be explained by other shocks, while rand shocks themselves explain a relatively small proportion of South Africa’s macroeconomic volatility. That said, the role that the exchange rate plays as a shock absorber appears to be weaker in South Africa than for other commodity exporters like Australia and New Zealand.

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News24.com | All systems go for Gauteng online admission applications

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The Gauteng Department of Education’s (GDE) online applications to place Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners for the 2020 Academic year is set to open on Monday.

“Following the postponement of the opening of the online admissions applications from May 13, 2019 to May 20, 2019, as requested by SGB Associations and interested parties, the Gauteng Department of Education made a concerted effort to address and resolve concerns raised,” GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said in a statement on Sunday.

The postponement came after an alleged threat of an interdict, according to the Gauteng MEC of Education, Panyaza Lesufi.

Lesufi tweeted last week Sunday that, “We were threatened with an interdict, so we gave negotiations a chance”.

He did not specify where the threat came from but he did explain that the postponement was to give the department, the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African (FEDSAS), the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysunie (SAOU) and other school governing body associations an opportunity to iron out issues they disagreed on, News24 earlier reported.

“It must be noted that the Online Admissions Application System has always been aligned to the Amended Admissions and Feeder Zone Regulations as published. However, in the true spirit of inclusivity, consultation and good cooperative governance, a meeting was convened with FEDSAS where the functionality of the system was demonstrated, where open and transparent engagement transpired.

“Further, the department took a decision to avail the system for testing by stakeholders and interested parties to allay fears,” Mabona further explained.

ALSO READ: Gauteng Education’s 2020 online admission process postponed

The GDE will conduct the online applications process in three phases; registration and application, placement of learners and admission to a school.

During phase 1, parents can apply to a maximum of five schools using any of the five application options outlined in the amendments to the admissions by July 22.

“After making an application, parents must submit required documents to the schools applied to within seven school days. Parents must sign the submission register at the school and request a receipt acknowledging submission of documents,” Mabona added.

During phase 2, from August 31 to September 30, parents will receive offers of placement from schools based on admissions criteria and availability of space and resources.

“Offers must be accepted with seven working days. Failure to accept offers will result in the department placing the learners in schools within the feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address,” Mabona explained.

In the final phase, learners will be admitted to a school, the school will provide further information once the offers are accepted.

“Parents will be assisted with applications at all public ordinary schools, district offices, head office and identified community centres and Public Libraries have prepared walk-in centres to assist parents with applications from 08:00 to 16:00 during school days,” Mabona concluded.

News24.com | SABC Radio park declared safe for occupation after diesel spill evacuation

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The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) Radio Park has been handed back to the broadcaster after it was cleared and declared safe for occupation.

This announcement comes after representatives of the Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire Chief conducted a final air sampling and health and safety inspection on Sunday.

“A detailed report on the incident will be submitted to the Department of Labour, as required by legislation and an assessment of the damage will continue in order to quantify the financial implications of the damage caused by the diesel spillage,” spokesperson Vuyo Mthembu said in a statement on Sunday.

The radio park in Auckland Park, Johannesburg was evacuated on Wednesday after 2 000 litres of diesel had leaked from a generator on the 15th floor.

Employees were further instructed to stay at home, News24 earlier reported.

ALSO READ – Diesel spill: SABC radio building a ‘no-go zone’, floors might need to be knocked out

Employees have since been instructed to return to work on Monday where staff from the wellness centre will be on standby, should anyone require any health related examination.  

“The SABC would like to extend its deepest gratitude to the Johannesburg EMS, Fire Chief, external service providers as well as the SABC team, for having worked tirelessly over the last four days in the clean-up operation, to ensure that the building is safe and habitable.

The corporation also thanked its employees for their understanding and patience Mthembu concluded.

News24.com | Two nabbed for possession of uncut diamonds worth R1.5 million

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Two suspects with uncut diamonds valued at R1.5m have been arrested by Western Cape police during a stop and search operation.

The operation was conducted on Voortrekker Road in Bellville on Friday.

Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut says the officials conducting the operation had their attention drawn to the two suspects, aged 46 and 53.

“The men were questioned and they appeared nervous. This prompted the members to conduct a body search which resulted in the discovery of two small bags with 27 diamonds with an estimated value of R1.5m,” said Traut.

The men, believed to be from Namibia, were arrested and will appear in court on Monday.

“The circumstances surrounding the matter and the origin of the diamonds are still under investigation,” he added. 

News24.com | Zuma will return to court with 3 arguments to end his prosecution. Will he succeed?

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2019-05-17 10:19

The Jacob Zuma corruption trial will soon recommence in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court with his new legal team bringing three arguments in favour of a permanent stay of prosecution. It seems doubtful that they will succeed, writes Serjeant at the Bar.

The saga relating to the prosecution of Jacob Zuma is moving into a new but certainly not the last phase. An application for a permanent stay of prosecution of Mr Zuma will soon be heard in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court but again not without the negotiation of further procedural hurdles constructed by Mr Zuma’s new legal team.

Before we get to this latest issue, it is important to remind ourselves that, were the application to succeed, Mr Zuma would finally be off the legal hook insofar as this set of criminal charges against him are concerned.

His lawyers have argued that there are three key legs to the case in favour of a permanent stay of prosecution: 1) the long delays in getting the case to trial, bearing in mind that more than a decade has elapsed since the case against him was initiated; 2) a political conspiracy lies at the heart of the NPA’s determination to prosecute Mr Zuma and; 3) pretrial irregularities including unlawful spying on Mr Zuma as was evidenced in the leaked Brown Moles report back in 2006.

The central argument about unnecessary delays will be a difficult one. In the case of Saunderson, the Constitutional Court in 1997 had the following to say about the relevant legal position: “The courts will apply their experience of how the lapse of time generally affects the liberty, security and trial-related interests that concern us. Of the three forms of prejudice, the trial-related variety is possibly hardest to establish, and here as in the case of other forms of prejudice, trial courts will have to draw sensible inferences from the evidence. By and large, it seems a fair although tentative generalisation that the lapse of time heightens the various kinds of prejudice that s 25(3)(a)(of the Constitution which guarantees a fair trial) seeks to diminish.”

In the Zuma case, while considerable delays have taken place, these have hardly affected the liberty of a man who ruled as president for almost a decade after the initial moves were made to charge him. In addition, most of the delays were caused by what became known as the Zuma legal team’s use of the Stalingrad tactic: the exploitation of every conceivable legal loophole to ensure that Mr Zuma never stood trial. According to an answer to a parliamentary question it appears that Mr Zuma’s legal costs amounted to R16 788 781 although some of this was expended on the Nklandla litigation.

That not only amounts to a serious attempt at a policy of redistribution to the legal profession but is also indicative of the intensity of the legal battles waged by Mr Zuma to fend off the criminal charges. The question thus will be asked: can an applicant for a stay succeed if he (as in this case) is the essential cause of the delay? And as Justice Johann Kriegler reminds us in Saunderson, “Since time immemorial it has been an established principle that the public interest is served by bringing litigation to finality.”

It is surely obvious that serious criminal charges against a person who held, until recently, the highest office in the country should be fully considered by a court. And this is a further difficulty that will doubtless have to be overcome if Mr Zuma’s application is to succeed.

The argument about a conspiracy might have found favour with Judge Christopher Nicolson but, not only was his judgment overturned on appeal but there is now a line of case law which has considered this argument and found that it does not present a bar to a prosecution.

The contested nature of the application for a permanent stay has recently given rise to further controversy. In the first place it appears that Mr Zuma’s lawyers object to the judge president of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court setting the application down before three judges and further there seems to be some anxiety in the Zuma legal team’s ranks about the absence of Deputy Judge President Mjabuliseni Madondo from the panel, alternatively that he should sit as a single judge to hear the application as a precursor to possibly presiding at the criminal trial.

The response to the first argument is that it is difficult to see the basis for an argument that a full bench should not determine this critical question. The application involves, as indicated in this column, complex issues of law and fact and further the applicant is a former president of this country. The implications are important and are clearly in the public interest; hence composing a full bench is a prudent course.

A more troubling development is the Zuma legal team’s focus on the absence of the deputy judge president from the panel of judges who will hear the application. By this conduct the implication is that Mr Zuma considers that the presence of the deputy judge president as the adjudicator would be favourable to him. If this is what is intended then it is most unfair on a senior judge as it is on the three judges appointed to hear the matter. It raises the question concerning the extent to which the Stalingrad tactics are employed in a matter which demands finality.

– Serjeant at the Bar is a senior legal practitioner with a special interest in constitutional law.

Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.

News24.com | ‘Dead’ woman calls News24: ‘Please tell Home Affairs I’m alive’

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A “dead” woman who rang News24’s offices, says she is happy to report that she is alive and well, despite Home Affairs insisting otherwise.

Kubashnee Kalicharan (née Govender), 37, from Johannesburg, was told she was “deceased” when she applied for a loan last year.

Since then, her life has come to a complete standstill, as she is officially not alive.

Her namesake, Kubashnee Govender from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, passed away from kidney failure about three years ago. 

Kalicharan is originally from Durban, in the same province. 

Through some administrative blunder, the two women shared the same ID number, resulting in Home Affairs declaring Kalicharan dead when Govender died.

Since then, Kalicharan and her husband, who are married in community of property, can’t buy a house or car. She could also not vote in the elections on May 8.

“I am actually using a company car to get around because I can’t get vehicle finance.” 

Kalicharan went to Home Affairs in Alberton the day after discovering the department’s bungle.

“I took my ID book with me, but the official there told me I showed up as deceased on the system. So I asked him, how can this be? I am right here – I’ve used this ID number my whole life.”

She was then given documentation pertaining to her “death certificate”.

It became clearer that another person, Govender, had died and had the same ID number as hers.

Undertakers refused to release remains

In fact, when Govender died, her family had great difficulty getting the undertakers to release her body for burial, as they wanted her husband to consent to it.

She was, however, not married; instead, it is Kalicharan who is married.

According to Govender’s brother, Clinton Naidu, his sister had, when she was still alive, received bills in the mail that were addressed to her, but were meant for Kalicharan.

“Every time this happened we had to go to a police station and get an affidavit to say my sister does not have this account, it’s somebody else’s,” he told News24. 

“Unfortunately my sister passed on of renal failure in 2016. The undertakers arranged for the death certificate and when we got it, it had been issued for Kubashnee Kalicharan.

“So for about two months after my sister’s death, I had been running up and down to Home Affairs who told me it was ‘impossible’ for an ID number to be duplicated.”

READ: ‘Dead’ Pretoria woman ‘alive’ again after Home Affairs bungle, but husband still a ‘widower’

Naidu says he received a call from Kalicharan about six months after his sister had died, telling him that she was now considered deceased and that she had the same ID number as his sister’s. 

Kalicharan had found his name and number on documents she had been given by Home Affairs. 

Naidu was then able to supply Kalicharan with Govender’s documentation to pursue her ongoing attempts to convince Home Affairs that she was, in fact, still alive.

Naidu describes his interactions with the department as a “nightmare”.

“I was spending money getting documents, spending money getting this, spending money getting that… it was quite a schlep.”

Kalicharan then took the documents Naidu had sent her, as well as her own ID book, an affidavit stating that the ID number was hers, affidavits from her brother and sister (her parents are deceased), copies of her family’s ID documents, even her clinic card that was issued when she was born, a letter from her employer and submitted these to the Germiston Home Affairs office. 

‘I have to beg for assistance’

“I handed all these documents to them at around October last year. After I handed in the documents I had to pester that official because she would not take my calls. I had to beg her for assistance. I even did new fingerprints. 

“She then told me the documents would go to head office in Pretoria for investigation and validation. The documents were eventually sent to Pretoria in January this year. I received an SMS stating that the documents had been received. And that was the last I heard from Home Affairs.”

News24 has seen countless emails from Kalicharan, addressed to various Home Affairs officials, including senior officials such as the minister and director-general which she copied in, pleading for the matter to be resolved. She is yet to receive a definitive response. 

Despite her frustration, Kalicharan consistently maintains a polite tone in her correspondence. 

“Good morning, trust you are well. Please assist me as this case is still not solved. My life is currently on hold because of this. I don’t understand why this is taking so long to get resolved. Your assistance in this regard will be much appreciated,” she typically writes. 

“I call them every Monday without fail. All they need to do is validate my fingerprints by matching it with [Govender’s]. But every time they just tell me they’re working on it.”

At the beginning of April, she finally received a response to her emails from one C Khumalo, stating: “Thank you for writing to the Department of Home Affairs Contact Centre. Please note that the application is still not finalised. The case has been escalated to the processing unit and we are still waiting for feedback. We will send a note of urgency to try and expedite the application.”

‘I can still pay taxes’

In the meantime, Kalicharan is still not officially alive. 

“My whole life is at a standstill,” Kalicharan told News24. “I couldn’t buy a car because my application was declined. The dealership said, according to the system, I am dead.

“I’m lucky that my bank account has not yet been frozen,” she says.

“I couldn’t vote, but I can still pay taxes.” 

Earlier this month, News24 reported on Renthia van Rensburg from Onderstepoort near Pretoria finally being declared “alive” following a nearly two-year battle with Home Affairs, who had her on record as being dead.

News24 attempted to contact Home Affairs for comment.

Department spokesperson Thabo Mokgola referred News24 to his colleague David Hlabane, as he was on leave. Calls to Hlabane went unanswered. 

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News24.com | What is still to come following the ANC’s election victory?

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Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng Foto: Jabu Kumalo

With the elections still firmly in South Africa’s rear view mirror, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng will take centre stage in Parliament over the next five weeks, as he swears in a new president and Cabinet.

The IEC announced the results last Saturday and the ANC took the bulk of the seats in the National Assembly, securing 230 seats, followed by the DA with 84 seats and 44 for the EFF. 

Although the ANC still commands the majority, it no longer has a two-thirds majority. 

Fourteen parties will make up the new Parliament, including the IFP, FF Plus, the ACDP, NFP, UDM, Good, Cope, ATM, AIC, PAC and Al Jama-ah. 

Mogoeng, among his duties, will be responsible for the swearing in of 400 MPs.

Shortly before the formal parliamentary events take place, however, the ANC will hold its special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on May 20 to reflect on the election as well as to discuss the 6th administration’s possible cabinet. 

News24 looks at the significant events the Chief Justice will lead over the next five weeks:

May 22

Chief Justice Mogoeng will oversee the swearing in of MP’s as well as the election of the presiding officer otherwise known as the Speaker of Parliament. 

Chief justice Mogoeng will also preside over the selection of the President chosen by members of Parliament.

Once elected the President ceases to be a member of Parliament.  The Speaker will then take over his duties and elect a deputy speaker.  

In several parts of the country, provincial members of parliaments (MPLs) will also be sworn in to their respective provincial legislatures. 

May 23

Chief Justice Mogoeng will then preside over the “affirmation of faithfulness” to the Republic of South Africa and obedience to the Constitution from the House’s permanent delegates of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). 

According to parliamentary rules, Mogoeng will preside over the election of the chairperson of the NCOP. The chair who will then preside over the election of deputy chair, chief whip and house chairperson is selected among its permanent delegates.

Judge presidents of each province will preside over the swearing in of MPL’s and their respective speakers.  

May 25

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will be sworn in as the country’s first citizen in front of international guests and thousands of South Africans who are expected to gather at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

The traditional venue for this occasion usually is the Union Buildings. 

READ: Ramaphosa’s inauguration to cost R100m less than Zuma’s in 2014

May 27

The much anticipated announcement of Cabinet by president-elect Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be made.

On several occasions Ramaphosa has indicated his plans to shrink an already bloated Cabinet.

This week, News24 reported Ramaphosa is likely to cut down his Cabinet by nine ministers and at least 15 deputy ministers.

Some of the names in the party’s list destined for Parliament, amid huge public outcry, included outgoing ministers Nomvula Mokonyane, Malusi Gigaba, Mosebenzi Zwane, Faith Muthambi and Bathabile Dlamini.

May 29 

Cabinet ministers are to be inducted to the National Assembly.  

June 12-14

The president hosts his first Cabinet lekgotla with his newly selected ministers to discuss critical government issues and also to iron out government’s programmes for the financial year. 

June 20

Led by Chief Justice Mogoeng, Ramaphosa together with his deputy, speaker and deputy speaker will walk the red carpet into Parliament to a 29 gun salute to mark the first sitting of Parliament in the country’s sixth democratic administration.

Shortly after this, provincial premiers are set to hold their state of the province addresses. 

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Find everything you need to know about the 2019 National and Provincial Government Elections at our News24 Elections site, including the latest news and detailed, interactive maps for how South Africa has voted over the past 3 elections. Make sure your News24 app is updated to access all our elections coverage in one place.

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News24.com | 5 controversial ANC members who are heading to Parliament

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The secret vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma takes place in the National Assembly of Parliament.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officially handed over the list of 830 elective representatives headed to Parliament to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in a handover ceremony at the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg on Wednesday.

SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures

This comes after South Africa held its sixth “free, fair and peaceful” national and provincial elections on May 8. The ANC emerged victorious with over 10 million votes and 230 seats.

News24 found a few controversial names on the list that will be heading to the National Assembly:

1. Nomvula Mokonyane

The Minister of Environmental Affairs has recently been embroiled in the Bosasa corruption scandal unfolding at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

Former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi alleged Mokonyane received R50 000 a month in cash from the company.

This was allegedly due to her powerful position in government. She is number 10 on the ANC list and will be heading to the National Assembly.

READ: How the ANC plans to block ‘rotten apples’ from Parliament, Cabinet positions

2. Bathabile Dlamini

Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women B

The Minister of Women in the Presidency was rocked by a few scandals in her term as as Social Development Minister, which resulted in several calls for her to be axed.

Her biggest failure to date is the social grant crisis, when she failed to take action when an arrangement with Cash Payment Services (CPS) to deliver social grants to the poor had expired. 

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was quoted as saying that “there was no explanation for the incompetence displayed by her and Sassa”. 

Dlamini is number 14 on the ANC list. The ANCWL which she is president of, hopes that some of its leaders, including Dlamini, is appointed in “strategic positions”, News24 earlier reported.

READ: ANC reveals top 100 candidates on parliamentary list: Van Rooyen and Nhleko out

3. Malusi Gigaba

Gigaba made headlines for his association with the controversial Gupta family whose corrupt activities precipitated the coining of the term “State Capture”.

The former Home Affairs Minister was singled out in an interim report regarding the naturalisation status of the Gupta family who benefited from many business deals with state-owned entities.

Gigaba recently came under fire after the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court upheld an earlier finding that he lied to the High Court in the Fireblade saga. This was then followed by a leaked video showing him in a sex act.

The man who has been referred to as a “Gupta stooge” is number 23 on the list.

ALSO READ: Gigaba fights to clear Gupta association

4. Faith Muthambi

The former Minister of Communications during Jacob Zuma’s term as President was described as someone “who wanted to steal at all costs” by Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) CEO, Phumla Williams at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture last September.

Williams was shedding a light on among other things, how R55m was paid to the Gupta-owned newspaper The New Age (TNA) through the SABC/TNA breakfasts.

News24 earlier reported that a report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) also found that Muthambi flouted several public service regulations by making irregular appointments and ordering salary hikes for officials, among other transgressions, while she was Minister of Public Service and Administration in March, last year. 

Muthambi, a staunch Zuma supporter who attends his court appearances following her axing as a minister, is number 79 on the ANC list and will be heading to the National Assembly.

READ: How the ANC plans to block ‘rotten apples’ from Parliament, Cabinet positions

5. Mosebenzi Zwane

Minister of Mineral Resources Mosebenzi Zwane deli

Zwane, who served under Zuma as Minister of Mineral Resources, has also been linked to the Guptas who allegedly facilitated his appointment to the post, according to the now infamous leaked Gupta emails.

The Zondo Commission also heard how Zwane summoned banks to a “fake meeting” in a bid to convince them to save Gupta-linked accounts which they had decided to close.

The four major banks closed the accounts in 2016 due to over 70 listed “suspicious transactions” totalling almost R7 billion, which were recorded by the Financial Intelligence Centre, News24 earlier reported.

Zwane will also be heading to the National Assembly. He is at number 75 on the ANC list.

Find everything you need to know about the 2019 National and Provincial Government Elections at our News24 Elections site, including the latest news and detailed, interactive maps for how South Africa has voted over the past 3 elections. Make sure your News24 app is updated to access all our elections coverage in one place.

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News24.com | Cash heist: Up to R1m reward offered after Pretoria robbery

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Cash-in-transit (CIT) company SBV, is offering an up to R1m reward for information that could lead to the arrest of a gang of robbers who targeted one of its trucks in Pretoria on Tuesday, and made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

In statement on Wednesday, it confirmed that a four-man team was servicing a Standard Bank branch in Laudium, when it was attacked by an unknown number of suspects.

“Two security officers sustained minor injuries during the attack and are currently being treated. SBV’s Risk and Compliance team is working closely with the SAPS to investigate the attack. Details of the attack are still unknown and cannot be disclosed while the investigation is underway.

“SBV Services is offering up to R1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects involved in yesterday’s cash-in-transit heist in Laudium, Pretoria,” said the company.

WATCH: Tshwane cash heist: Gunmen flee with undisclosed amount of cash

Group CEO, Mark Barrett said: “As a responsible corporate citizen, SBV thoroughly investigates all incidents. SBV does not tolerate any violence, crime and threats to our human lives. We will tirelessly persist in our efforts to mitigate CIT crime and together with the authorities and the CIT industry, we will ensure that the perpetrators involved in CIT attacks are brought to justice.”

He added that SBV’s employees are trained to follow standard operating procedures, to avoid attacks and to ensure the safety of civilians.

“We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to investigate this attack. Once the details are known and confirmed, action will be taken where required,” said Barrett.

The company appealed to the public with any information on the attack or any other cash-in-transit heists to notify the police.

News24.com | Shiraaz Mohamed’s captors split on whether to release him or continue to pursue ransom

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The captors of SA photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed have split into two groups, with one continuing their demands for a ransom and the other pushing for him to be released unconditionally.

This new information was released by humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman on Tuesday after a second video of Mohamed was posted to social media by Mohamed’s captors.

It has been more than two years since Mohamed was captured in Syria while on his way back to the Turkish border after accompanying Gift of the Givers.

Two drivers captured with Mohamed were released immediately and were told he was being held for “questioning”.

It is believed that he has been held in captive since then, although very little information has emerged since his disappearance.

New information

After proof that he was alive emerged in April, a US$1.5m (R21.5m) ransom demand was made in exchange for Mohamed’s release.

News24 previously reported that Gift of the Givers made it clear that they could not pay the ransom as they did not have that kind of money at their disposal.

Letters from religious leaders were also sent to the captors asking for Mohamed to be freed unconditionally.

READ: $1.5 million ransom sought for SA photographer Shiraaz Mohamed’s release

“After having received the ransom request of 1.5m USD we communicated with the intermediary on May 5, 6, 8 and 12,” Sooliman said on Tuesday.

“The intermediary has been very good and understanding and says he is trying to convince the captors to release Shiraaz unconditionally.”

Sooliman added that the letters and information that the ransom could not be paid was met with mixed reaction by Mohamed’s captors.

“One group still wants the ransom. We didn’t pursue the discussion to reduce the amount as that creates expectancy. The second group said release him unconditionally.”

“There is no finality which way it is going as yet.”

Second video

In April, a video was released which showed a masked man clad in a black top and camouflage pants, with an assault rifle, standing behind Mohamed as the photojournalist begs for help. 

“Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, my South African president, my family, my friends, the international community, anyone that can help… I need your help,” he said.

WATCH: Video of photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed proof of life released, more than 2 years after his abduction

“I live in fear of my life… I am scared. The area that I am in is being bombed by the Russian air force… the bombs are getting closer and closer and closer. I need your help. Please help me.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Sooliman said after the second video of Mohamed was brought to their attention, they checked in with the individual who sent the first video.

“He was very surprised to hear of this and was not aware of it,” Sooliman said.

“It seems to be a modified version of the one that was initially sent to us so we are not paying too much attention to it.”

Sooliman added that the intermediary said communicating with the captors is far more complex now with all the bombing.

“However, he has sent a message today to ask for an explanation on who circulated the new video and what its purpose was.”

Middle Eastern governments approached for help

Sooliman said the intermediary, of his own volition, had approached two Middle Eastern governments to assist with the payment of the ransom.

Both governments, which were not named, declined to help.

The intermediary also emphasised that the real concern right now is the intense bombing on Syria.