JOHANNESBURG – The Gupta family’s holding company Oakbay Investments announced on Wednesday that it reached an agreement to sell its Tegeta Exploration and Resources business.

Tegeta which comprises three coal mines, was sold to the Swiss-based Charles King SA for R2.97-billion.

It comes just after the company announced the sale of its media companies, television news channel ANN7 and The New Age newspaper to businessman, Mzwanele Manyi this week. 

In a statement, Oakbay said the Tegeta sale is to save the jobs of employees. 

More to follow. 

eNCA

Johannesburg – Leaders of the ANC in Gauteng and Mpumalanga have met in an attempt to find consensus on the leadership battle that appears to be tearing the party apart.

Both sides would work “tirelessly” to agree on policy and on who should replace President Jacob Zuma when his term ends in December.

They described a meeting they held on Monday as “historic and long-overdue”.

“The meeting agreed that the unity of the ANC remains sacrosanct and its pursuit must always put the interests of all South Africans first,” they said in a joint statement.

Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza had been making efforts to get provincial leaders to talk, ahead of the ANC’s hotly-contested December conference.

Mabuza was previously linked to the so-called premier league that includes KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Free State. In recent months he has played the role of unifier. He held talks with ANC leaders in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, in an attempt to get factions in the party to agree, to avoid the December conference becoming divisive.

The ANC’s chairpersons in KwaZulu-Natal, North West, and the Free State have expressed support for NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma taking over from Zuma. Mabuza, however, has yet to say who his province will back in December.

Insiders have said he sees himself as a serious power broker aiming to become ANC deputy president. He is said to have had behind-the-scenes meetings with both Dlamini-Zuma and her rival, deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Dlamini-Zuma is yet to campaign in Mpumalanga. Ramaphosa was in the province in May during Cosatu’s Workers’ Day celebrations. Mabuza was not present.

Sources close to Mabuza say he is concerned about the ANC’s performance in the 2019 national elections and is trying to carve out a plan and find a leadership that unites the party.

He is said to be considering a third option for ANC president, a compromise candidate – current treasurer Zweli Mkhize.

Gauteng is yet to say who it will back. Expectations are it will be Ramaphosa.

“We don’t rely on slates. Slates are based on factionalism and will always fail,” Gauteng ANC spokesperson Nkenke Kekana told News 24.

Sources at the meeting said both sides condemned the use of memorial lectures by presidential candidates to campaign for the top post instead of honoring the past leaders. The presidential hopefuls, that include NEC members Lindiwe Sisulu, Jeff Radebe and Mathews Phosa, have featured in either annual Nelson Mandela or OR Tambo lectures in various provinces where they have accepted nominations. 

“We have collectively agreed to take critical steps in the next four months to work very hard to foster unity and cohesion, not only within the ANC but within the broader society,” the Gauteng and Mpumalanga ANC said.

OREGON – Sky-watchers in the US watch what is being billed as the Great American Eclipse,.

Totality  — when the Moon blocks out light from the Sun — was estimated to darken about 113 kilometres and pass through 14 states.

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Here are some facts on this eclipse, and what makes it so unique.

AFP

Pretoria – The fact that Grace Mugabe received diplomatic immunity “is proof that our government’s political ties are more important than their own citizens”, says Debbie Engels, the mother of 20-year-old Gabrielle, who was allegedly assaulted by the Zimbabwean first lady.

The government announced in an extraordinary Government Gazette on Sunday that she had been granted diplomatic immunity. Gabriella, a Johannesburg model, was flabbergasted when she heard the news, Netwerk24 reported.

“I didn’t know,” she said, after letting out a long sigh. “I don’t want to comment any further.”

Debbie said: “I saw [it] on the news this morning when I got up.

“I’m upset, but I believe that Mugabe’s day will come.”

Mugabe is said to have assaulted Gabriella in the Capital 20 West Hotel in Sandton with an electric extension cord last Sunday.

According to Debbie, her daughter was introduced to Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine Chatunga, 20, on Saturday evening.

She doesn’t know Robert Jnr, 25, at all.

Also read: Diplomatic immunity for Grace Mugabe warranted – Nkoana-Mashabane

She denied claims that Gabrielle had been involved in a fight at a Sandton nightclub – Taboo – hours before the alleged altercation with Grace Mugabe.

“A friend of hers had [Saturday evening] had a fight with one of the Mugabe brothers’ girlfriends.”

Gabriella and her friend on Sunday evening went to visit one of Bellarmine’s friends in the hotel.

The Mugabe brothers were in the room next door. Gabriella and her friend were not with the Mugabes, but with their friend, Debbie said.

“When Gaby-and-them heard that the girl with whom her friend had had a fight was in the room next door, they said they weren’t staying.

“Bellarmine gave them the assurance that the girl wouldn’t come into their room and bother them. He then went back to his room.

A man then came and told Gabriella and her friend “to sit still”, after which Grace is said to have stormed in with the extension cord, Debbie said. She said the Mugabe brothers weren’t there at the time of the incident.

She did not want to elaborate.