Former SA Reserve Bank governor and newly appointed Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni is highly accomplished and should be able to hit the ground running.

This was the sentiment from the ANC and opposition parties after the news broke that Mboweni would replace former minister, Nhlanhla Nene, as the country’s finance minister.

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Nene had asked to step down from his role after he admitted during testimony before the state capture commission of inquiry that he had lied about meeting with the controversial Gupta family.

Nene revealed that he had met the Guptas at their Saxonwold home no less than five times during his tenures as deputy finance minister and during the early stages of his first stint as finance minister.

The Guptas are accused of having undue influence over former President Jacob Zuma and his executive as well as state-owned enterprises.

Although Nene has since apologised for lying about meeting the Guptas, he decided to step down from his role.

READ: As Nene falls on his sword, Mboweni makes a comeback

The ANC applauded both Nene and Ramaphosa for the development, calling the president’s decision to accept the resignation bold, decisive and timely.

“The ANC further commends Comrade Nene for the commitment he has shown to the well-being of the country,” ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said.

The party also congratulated Mboweni for his new appointment.

ANC alliance partner the SACP congratulated Mboweni and welcomed Nene’s resignation, calling it a swift response from Ramaphosa.

The communist party praised Nene for refusing to hand South Africa over to what it called the highest bidder, by refusing to sign the nuclear contract, which former president Jacob Zuma wanted to enter into with Russia.

“This principled steadfastness, and his voluntary appearance at the commission of inquiry into state capture as the first sitting Cabinet minister, deserve recognition,” SACP spokesperson Alex Mohubetswane said in a statement.

The party said it would have been better if Nene had acknowledged all the Gupta meetings from the onset but said the important thing was that he had taken responsibility for his weakness and resigned.

WATCH – Nene out, Mboweni in: Here’s everything you need to know

In congratulating Mboweni, the DA’s finance spokesperson David Maynier commented that he had been “plucked from political obscurity” to be appointed as Nene’s replacement.

“With his experience, the new finance minister will have the advantage of being able to hit the ground running and is, at least, known to market participants, ratings agencies and international financial institutions, who closely follow events in South Africa.”

The country’s main opposition party, however, said it was worried about some of Mboweni’s social media posts during his period away from politics and described them as “a little looney” and “at odds with government policy”.

The IFP said it was concerned that Ramaphosa did not use the opportunity to also get rid of controversial ministers Bathabile Dlamini and Malusi Gigaba, but welcomed Mboweni’s appointment.

RAMAPHOSA’S FULL SPEECH: Mboweni new finance minister as Nene steps down: ‘This moment calls for strong, capable and steady leadership’

“This comes at a time when our economy more than ever needs capable, able and stable leadership. We wish Minister Mboweni well as he journeys through the mammoth task of steering our economy in the right direction,” said the IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.

Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota however, was unimpressed by the appointment and accused the ANC of “floundering” when it came to giving South Africans a stable government and leadership.

While the Rand has firmed at the news of Mboweni’s appointment, Lekota cautioned that the move could affect the country’s credit rating pronouncement later this week.

Nineteen people arrested in connection with a fatal attack at a KwaZulu-Natal mosque and the placement of several explosive devices at various Durban shopping centres are currently appearing in camera in the Verulam Family Court.

Police officers who manned the door to the court told the media and members of the public, who had hoped to attend the proceedings, that it was decided that the proceedings would be held in camera (in private) on Monday.

“Yes, the matter is proceeding inside as we speak,” said an unidentified officer.

White paper was also used to cover the court’s glass doors. Heavily armed policemen could be observed guarding corridors near the courtroom and others stood outside the court.

The accused are likely to face charges of murder, attempted murder, extortion, kidnapping, the contravention of the Explosives Act and arson, the Hawks and the police said in a joint statement on Monday.

READ: 19 suspects to appear in court for KZN mosque attack, bomb scares – Hawks

The accused were arrested by a multi-disciplinary team on Friday in and around Durban, national Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said earlier.

Various items were confiscated during their arrests, including a ready-made incendiary device.

“Members also managed to rescue a victim who was found chained and malnourished inside a dungeon in one of the houses. The victim is under police protection in one of the hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal,” Mulaudzi said.

The Hawks did not provide any further information about the identity of the person or the circumstances around the incident.

In May this year, three knife-wielding men attacked worshippers at the Imam Hussain Mosque in Ottawa, Verulam, north of Durban.

Abbas Essop died during the attack at the Shia mosque, while Imam Ali Nchiyane and caretaker Mohammed Ali survived.

Azad Seedat, the mosque’s chairperson, said the mosque’s library had been petrol-bombed.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said the government had deemed the incidents very serious and demanded a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to book.

The overalls Maria Dumekude wore 16 years ago are very different from the pair she wears today.

After starting as a cleaner at Golden Arrow’s head office in 2002, the single mother of two worked her way up to fixing the company’s most valued assets – its bus fleet.

A qualified auto electrician, Dumekude proudly lugs around her bag of tools, easily holding her own surrounded by her mostly male colleagues as she works on starters, alternators and wiring on the vehicles.

“I always thought that in a business like this, women belonged in the office. But I was wrong. Look at me – I am getting my hands dirty and loving it.”

After two years as an office cleaner, the 45-year-old single mother was promoted to a general hand in 2004, helping the mechanics by passing on tools or holding onto tyres while they worked.

She successfully applied for an apprenticeship and in 2009 became an artisan.

‘We still have a long way to go’

“I can do everything my colleagues can do, and sometimes even better. I love the challenge of working in a male-dominated industry. Women like me challenge those who think there are only certain jobs that females are capable of, when that’s not the case.”

Last week she proudly told Mayor Patricia de Lille about the work she does at Golden Arrow, which is a vehicle-operating company of the City of Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus service.

De Lille visited the Tollgate Depot on Thursday to mark Transport Month, meeting women bus drivers, mechanics, regulators and dispatchers.

MyCiTi has 52 female bus drivers, 12 female dispatch operators at its depots and two female technicians.

Maria Dumekude, an auto electrician who started at Golden Arrow as a cleaner. (Tammy Petersen, News24)

“These women are a true inspiration and testament to the fact that women can excel in jobs previously dominated by men,” De Lille said.

“But we still have a long way to go. Only 37.2% of 27 000 employees at the City are women and few serve in management positions.”

Proud men

Dumekude has her eyes firmly set on one day working her way up to the boardroom, with a seat at the executive table.

“I know I have what it takes. I work hard, I have the skill and the capacity to be able to rise to the top. Nothing gets in my way.”

At first, she never in her wildest dreams thought she would find herself in her current position, Dumekude said. Even her family found it strange that she knew her way around the inner workings of a bus, she admitted.

“I look at the problem and try to figure out what is wrong. The challenge is finding the issue and making it work. When it’s solved, I look at my work and think: “Wow! I did that!’ It’s the best feeling.”

Changing perceptions about what women are capable of doing is a difficult task, Dumekude acknowledged.

“Some of my colleagues don’t treat me as an equal, but they try. The men are too proud to ask me to help if they’re stuck. I assist in any case, if I know how.”

Encouragement from mayor

The only difference between her and her male counterparts is that she works neater, Dumekude joked.

“Also, my nails are clean and my hands are soft. I moisturise,” she quipped.

Regulator Amanda Mtshixa, who manages bus station operations and oversees various routes, started working as a bus driver in 2015. The former call centre agent became a bus driver in 2015 before being promoted to her current post.

Despite proving to be a competent bus driver, she agreed that women were treated differently to their male counterparts.

“They take advantage of us. They take us for whatever,” she told De Lille.

The mayor encouraged her to put such people in their place.

A salute to ‘brave’ women

“I always tell them, ‘Listen, I am not your wife, sister, partner or niece, so please’. I have a very small head. And I don’t allow anyone to sit on it.”

De Lille said local government was “working hard” towards developing and supporting programmes that would provide longer-term employment in an effort to promote economic inclusion, in line with the City’s organisational development and transformation plan (ODTP).

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille with woman bus drivers, mechanics, regulators and mechanics she met on Thursday. (Tammy Petersen, News24)

“Learnership programmes, in particular, have empowered many women, some of whom have obtained permanent employment directly with the City through these opportunities. This is part of the City’s commitment in the ODTP to take Cape Town to the next level and build a globally competitive city where all our residents, both men and women, are empowered to grow the economy,” she said.

“I want to salute all the brave women who have taken steps to enter sectors said to be for men only and who are now breaking barriers for young girls who have similar ambitions to have the same opportunities in the future.”

During the early hours of Friday morning, 34 suspects were arrested during a crime prevention operation at two hijacked properties in Hillbrow and Berea in Johannesburg.

They are expected to appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court.

In a statement, City of Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said that the properties in Hillbrow and Berea were raided during an operation that was led by the City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS) in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).

“The properties that were targeted during the operation include Bluehuize, Vannin Court and Old Perm Building,” said Mashaba.
 
“A total of 33 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested. Immigration officers from the Department of Home Affairs will process those who were arrested to ascertain relevant information.
 
“One suspect was arrested for being in possession of a dangerous weapon.”

Mashaba said it had been confirmed that more than 700 properties in Johannesburg had been hijacked and 31 of these properties had been returned to their rightful owners.
 
“It is essential that we bring back the rule of law in our city and take it back from the criminal elements such as landlords who take advantage of desperate people and accommodate them under deplorable conditions,” said Mashaba.
 
“I remain committed to ensuring that the rot in the inner city becomes a thing of the past. I will leave no stone unturned to ensure that criminals are left with no place to hide and ensure that our residents occupy safe spaces without fear.”