As the country absorbs the shocking revelations that have emerged from a bombshell report by the high-level review panel into the State Security Agency, the presidency has indicated it is taking some time to study the findings.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, told News24 on Monday evening: “He is still studying the report”.

She indicated that he would issue a statement or comment once this process was complete.

While on the campaign trail ahead of the elections, Ramaphosa said he welcomed the report.

He told eNCA: “So I think we are building a very good foundation and I am assured that we are now going to have a properly realigned State Security Agency.”

ANC acting spokesperson Dakota Legoete has not yet indicated when the ruling party will release a statement on the report.

READ: EXPLAINED: Nine things you must know about the bombshell report into spies

The Presidency released a redacted version of the report on Saturday.

News24 previously reported that it revealed damning evidence of how the SSA was repurposed to serve the political interests of former president Jacob Zuma and his cronies within the ANC. 

The panel was headed by Dr Sydney Mufamadi and drew on mounds of documents and interviews with former and current ministers, staff and operatives to conduct its review of the SSA.

In a statement at the time, Ramaphosa expressed his appreciation for the panel’s work.

The panel recommended that he instruct the appropriate law enforcement bodies, oversight institutions and internal disciplinary bodies to investigate all breaches with a view to instituting criminal prosecution and/or disciplinary proceedings.

READ IN FULL: High-Level Review Panel on the SSA

The ANC is inviting the public to make an input as the party rushes to finalise its internal sexual harassment policy amid sex scandals that rocked the party.

Two of its spokespersons, Pule Mabe and Zizi Kodwa, asked to step down from their responsibilities following allegations of misconduct.

“The African National Congress has embarked on a process to finalise and implement a sexual harassment policy for all its employees across the country. The development of this policy is a consequence of an internal process where an employee laid a grievance of sexual harassment against her supervisor,” said the party’s acting spokesperson Dakota Legoete.

“The outcome of that process was, amongst others; a directive by the panel that reviewed the complaint, that the ANC must develop and implement an internal policy on sexual harassment within 90 days of the ruling.”

Also read: ANC reiterates commitment to adopt own sexual harassment policy

Legoete said they have to date developed a policy which is now up for “discussion and consultations with staff at national and provincial levels”.

“We will also consult with the ANC Women’s League and the ANC gender commission and we will set up an advisory panel to give more inputs. The ANC also plans to solicit inputs from the Commission on Gender Equality on the policy before presentation to the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) for adoption by the end of March 2019,” he said

The ANC’s social transformation committee member, Nocawe Mafu, said last Sunday that the ANC may not have its own sexual harassment policy but it has ensured that the public was protected at work places through the policy which is enshrined in the labour relations act.

Also read: Sexual harassment is everywhere, ‘on all sides’ at Luthuli House – ANC’s Duarte

Explaining why the party needed the public to comment on the policy they were working on, Legoete said in a statement on Sunday: “This approach is premised on the acknowledgement that the manner in which the ANC, both as leader of society and a governing party, deals with sexual harassment in its internal environment is a public interest issue. Consequently, we invite members of the public to comment on the ANC’s draft sexual harassment policy.”

Comments should be submitted no later than 15 March, 2019. 

Legoete said the draft policy will be made available on the ANC’s digital platforms for download.

The High Court Eastern Cape Division has affirmed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s recommendations regarding the plundering of public resources in the name of the funeral and memorial services of the late former President and struggle stalwart, Nelson Mandela by the Eastern Cape’s provincial government.

The province’s Director-General Marion Mbina-Mthembu had asked the court to have Mkhwebane’s findings reviewed and set aside, but lost the bid and her case was dismissed.

This now paves the way for the recommendations, which are binding by law, to be executed.

In December 2017, Mkhwebane released her 333-page report into the misappropriation of public funds, improper conduct and maladministration by the provincial government and several other organs of state, including four municipalities, in connection with expenditure incurred for the funeral and memorial services.

READ: Public Protector survives vote in DA bid for probe to remove her

The investigation found, among other maladies, evidence of widespread irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the procurement of goods and services for the memorial and funeral. Such expenditure was found to have failed to meet the test of fairness, equity, transparency, competitiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Mkhwebane wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to set a proclamation for the the Special Investigating Unit to probe all those implicated, and charge those against whom evidence exists “so that taxpayers’ money can be recovered”.

Mbina-Mthembu’s quarrel with the finding was the Public Protector’s conclusion that the provincial executive committee took the decision to divert the funds on the DG’s advice as the then head of the Provincial Treasury.

“At the time, Ms. Mbina-Mthembu called the Public Protector “idiotic”, prompting advocate Mkhwebane to caution her for the use of demeaning language to express frustration with the conclusions of the investigation,”said acting spokesperson of the public protector, Oupa Segalwe.

“Adv. Mkhwebane is pleased that the court has affirmed her findings and welcomes this development as it paves the way for the full implementation of the remedial action she directed the various organs of state to take. She also welcomes the court’s decision to award her the costs, which will go a long way in augmenting her meagre litigation budget,” Segalwe added.

READ MORE: Mkhwebane takes on Mboweni over Treasury DG remarks

Mkhwebane said that taking her report on review has never meant that it was of poor quality, and likened it to the appeal of a court judgment.

“It is merely a legal avenue available to aggrieved parties, who believe another forum could arrive at a different decision,” said Mkhwebane.

The Gauteng government says it has taken a decision to demolish the Bank of Lisbon building in Johannesburg. 

This is after a structural assessment on the building was conducted following the fatal fire that claimed the lives of three people in September 2018.  

“The assessment revealed that the building sustained extensive structural damage resulting from the fire incident,” government spokesperson Thabo Masebe said.

Masebe said, after the assessment report, various options of remedying the structure were looked at, but it was concluded that it would be in the best interests of the environment where the building was situated, for it to be demolished. 

READ: Three firefighters confirmed dead following Johannesburg building fire

“Any other option would have just been too expensive and also too risky for the environment,” said Masebe. 

A contractor, through the Department of Infrastructure Development ,has been appointed to manage the demolition project.

The building had been stabilised and the contractor was conducting investigations to determine the best and safest way of demolishing it, Masebe said..

He said all regulations and by-laws would be complied with in carrying out the demolition project.

ALSO READ: 2 firefighters who survived Bank of Lisbon fire discharged from hospital

All neighbours and affected parties had been notified of the intention to demolish the building and would be kept informed throughout the project, he added. 

Further public announcements would be made about the project in due course, Masebe said. 

Firefighters Simphiwe Moropane, 28, Mduduzi Ndlovu, 40, and Khathutshelo Muedi, 37, died while trying to put out the blaze.

Moropane plunged to his death after he slipped from a ledge while trying to get air. Ndlovu and Muedi died from lack of oxygen after they became trapped in the building.

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