Category Archives: South African News

News24.com | Free State car washer allegedly takes client’s bakkie on 3-day joy ride

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Cape Town – A woman who left her vehicle at a car wash got the shock of her life when she returned to find it gone, Free State police said on Tuesday.

The woman, 46, handed over the keys to her Isuzu double cab bakkie at the Bethlehem business last week, Captain Zweli Mohobeleli said.

“The male washer, however, allegedly disappeared for three days with the vehicle without the owner knowing where he was.”

Police traced him to Bloemfontein, about 250km away. He was arrested on Friday for using a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

The owner of the car wash in Morelig, M’Seme John Qhesi, told News24 on Tuesday he was stunned when he found out what had happened.

“It was a shock. We have been operating for only a few weeks now and you can imagine the stress I was under when I found out,” he said.

Stress

Qhesi opened the business in March, advertising an interior and exterior clean from R45 for a light motor vehicle. They also had a “drop and go” service.

He said the staff member in question was off duty at the time. He had offered to drive the washed car back to the customer. When he arrived, they spoke about a possible mechanical problem with the car. She gave him money for the car wash and to get spare parts.

Qhesi said he dropped in on his business later that day to find the customer waiting for the car.

“I tried to get hold of the guy, but he was not answering.”

Over the next few days, a stressed Qhesi tried to soften the man up over the phone so he would reveal where he was.

“I think I drove around 600km trying to find him,” he said with a laugh.

He was extremely relieved when police tracked the bakkie down and returned it to the owner. He said he gave the man a job because they lived in the same area and he wanted to provide for his family.

“I have made sure that there are now guys I can rely on. I can promise you that,” Qhesi said.

Bethlehem station commander, Brigadier Nkaiseng Molefe, advised people not to leave their car keys at car washes, but rather to stay and wait until their car had been cleaned.

News24.com | Latest Zuma rape cartoon decision ‘not taken lightly’ – Zapiro

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Cape Town – Famed cartoonist Zapiro has defended the use of rape as a theme in his latest cartoon about state capture, saying he never thought he would have to revisit the theme.

Zapiro published his latest cartoon for The Daily Maverick on Tuesday, entitled: “She’s all Yours, Boss!”

It depicts President Jacob Zuma zipping up his trousers as one of the Gupta brothers gets ready to “rape” South Africa, depicted as a woman, with State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and The New Age editor Moegsien Williams holding her down.

Zapiro on Tuesday said he definitely did not take the depiction lightly, given the fallout over his first drawing of Zuma preparing to rape “Lady Justice” in 2008.

However, he said the current climate in the country over state capture and the Cabinet reshuffle warranted its drawing.

“Everything I was trying to say about Jacob Zuma, and the way that he operates, the way he became president by riding roughshod over the justice system, has come true,” he told News24.

‘One step further’

“I think the original cartoon over which he sued me for four years but had to drop, holds absolutely true, and I feel now that it’s reached a point where so many other people are saying similar things.

“I felt it was now time to take it one step further, and show that it’s not the justice system that has been affected, but the whole country, and he has invited other people to get involved in state capture.”

When asked how he felt about its sensitivity towards rape victims and survivors, Zapiro said the drawing itself was a metaphor that applies to all South Africans.

“I really didn’t think I’d actually have to revisit the theme at all. It’s not as if I want to draw this sort of thing,” he said.

“It isn’t actually graphic, in the sense that it does everything by suggestion, and nothing by being lewd or overly graphic.

“I would also challenge people to look at the cartoon and see who they empathise with.

“Do they empathise with any of the perpetrators holding the metaphorical person down, that is South Africa, or do they empathise with the metaphorical person?

“There’s nothing in the drawing that enjoys or revels in the idea of rape or gang rape.”

Sparking debate

He said he’s been down this road before, and that cartoons should become part of debates or spark debate, but very rarely influence political happenings.

He would prefer as a cartoonist if he did not have to take such drastic measures in getting a point across.

“As a citizen, I’d prefer having less material, and not have to do something that is going to cause this much furore, because I know it will.

“But as somebody who has a voice, and has the license by convention to do hard-hitting cartoons, I will take that license when I need it, and I felt this one was absolutely necessary under the circumstances.”

State Security Agency spokesperson Brian Dube declined to comment on Monday, saying the cartoon was not worth commenting on.

Presidency spokesperson Dr Bongani Ngqulunga had not yet seen the cartoon, and said he will need to look at it first before offering a response.

eNCA | Herman Mashaba calls for probe into Hawks for ‘abuse of power’

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JOHANNESBURG – Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has asked the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to investigate allegations of abuse of power by embattled Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza.

Mashaba is accusing Ntlemeza of instructing subordinates not to investigate serious cases of corruption by council employees.

Battleground Metros: Wave of DA mayors set to include Herman Mashaba

The mayor said threats of surveillance and monitoring were made against officers who were investigating reported cases.

He vowed not to allow political interests to curb curb the fight against corruption.

Mashaba says his allegations can be backed up by the number of cases that were opened but never investigated.

eNCA

Monetary Policy Review – April 2017

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Publish Date: 2017-04-10
Category: Monetary Policy Review
South Africa’s macroeconomic imbalances have eased somewhat, with household balance sheets as well as fiscal and current account deficits all moving towards more sustainable levels. Inflation is falling back within the target range, and is expected to average 5.4% in 2018 and 5.5% in 2019. Meanwhile, gross domestic product (GDP) growth is projected to pick up from 2016’s post-crisis low. The short term growth improvement largely reflects a recovery in the primary sector (agriculture and mining). Over the medium term, output is expected to benefit from renewed investment, stronger household consumption and improved global growth. Growth prospects, however, remain subdued, while inflation is staying relatively high despite receding shocks.

The previous Monetary Policy Review (MPR), published in October 2016, welcomed an improvement in global conditions. This progress has mostly been sustained. Pessimism about world growth has faded somewhat, with themes of secular stagnation and ultra-low long term interest rates retreating in favour of reflation and a degree of optimism. In the United States (US), measures of policy uncertainty are elevated, yet volatility is unusually low while equity markets are close to record highs. Inflation is reverting to target levels following half a decade of outcomes below 2%, and employment gains remain robust. In this context, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is moving with a new resolve towards policy normalisation. Yet the prospect of higher interest rates, which previously sent shockwaves through financial markets, now seems to be inspiring more confidence than fear. Meanwhile, policy stimulus in China appears to have stabilised growth at relatively high levels. This has allayed fears of a sharper slowdown and has breathed new life into industrial commodities.

In this environment, South Africa’s terms of trade have rebounded to a five-year high. The exchange rate has recovered some ground: 2016 was the first year this decade in which the rand was stronger in December than it had been in January. These experiences have parallels across the emerging market space, with peer countries including Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Russia all experiencing stronger capital inflows and currency appreciation. However, the rising tide is not lifting all boats. In particular, Turkey (where macroeconomic imbalances remain acute) and Mexico (which is especially vulnerable to US policy risk) stand out as exceptions to the emerging market trend.

As in 2013, investors appear to be differentiating between emerging markets based on country specific characteristics. South Africa has benefited from its improved economic fundamentals. The current account deficit is likely to reach 3.2% of GDP this year, from 5.9% in 2013, reflecting a lower external financing requirement. Fiscal consolidation has so far reduced the fiscal deficit to 3.9% of GDP in 2016/17, from 4.4% by 2018/19. Household debt stocks – which peaked at nearly 90% of disposable incomes in 2008 – are now back to 2006 levels, slightly above 70%. This suggests the hangover from the pre-crisis debt boom may at last be fading. Inflation is slowing and should be back within the target range during the second quarter of 2017. These macroeconomic improvements are complemented by other positive outcomes, ranging from normalising rainfall patterns to a sharp reduction in the number of work days lost to strikes. The combined effect is somewhat better economic prospects over the medium term, potentially reversing the trend of slower growth and rising inflation which has dogged South Africa through the post-crisis period and 2016 in particular.

Attachments:

eNCA | Mkhize hits out at ANC leadership

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JOHANNESBURG – ANC MP Makhosi Khoza has hit out at the party’s leadership, accusing it of arrogance and empowering the opposition.

Khoza wrote a hard-hitting Facebook post, expressing her concerns.

She says political patronage has claimed the sanity of the ANC leadership.

Khoza says the governing party’s story has turned tragic by handing power over to the DA and EFF.

She believes that Friday’s anti-Zuma protests are definitive signs of her party’s poor leadership.

Khoza says the ANC is destroying itself, while the majority remains trapped in poverty, unemployment and inequality.

eNCA

News24.com | The ANCYL’s bad behaviour spells trouble for SA

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2017-04-10 08:46

The ANC is in trouble and South Africans are beginning to come to terms with the reality that the solution to their problems might have to exclude the ruling party.

Friday’s marches calling for President Zuma to resign was the strongest indication yet that a consensus is gathering about the fact that the ANC and President Zuma are inflicting damage to the country.

Scores of people came together calling for Zuma to go. This is something that hasn’t been before in recent times in South Africa. People are beginning to bury their racial and even ideological differences in the interest of uniting against a leadership that is found wanting and continues to improvise on a daily basis.

Be that as it may, it is important to carefully consider what would actually happen if Zuma was successfully pushed out.

In the highly unlikely event that Zuma is pushed out, possibly through a motion of no confidence in Parliament, there seems to be no clear plan in place to deal with the fallout to ensure stability on the ground.

As a democracy, it should not be catastrophic if a president is booted out of power. If Zuma suffers under a motion of no confidence, expectations are that he would pack his bags and head to Nkandla. This is a straightforward situation where an unwanted president ought to go if members of Parliament say so.

There is however a scary scenario that is beginning to rear its head, showing that if Zuma is voted out of power through a motion of no confidence, South Africa might experience open violence and unprecedented chaos that might be worse than what we averted in the 1990s when the National Party relinquished power.

The language and the tone of the ANC Youth League and other forces that support Zuma indicate that there would be willingness by Zuma’s supporters to refuse the result of a democratic process that seeks to remove the president.

The ANC Youth League has already demonstrated their willingness to disrupt democracy when they ignored a court order and disrupted Ahmed Kathrada’s memorial in Durban over the weekend. The message sent by the league is that they are willing to do whatever it takes to defend Zuma, even if that means trampling on our democracy.

The ANC is to blame for this impasse, having failed to deal with the league internally within the party. Now the league has become not only a national embarrassment, but a threat to the values of our democracy, including freedom of expression. The ANC should take full responsibility for this development, including the culture of intolerance among the league members.

While it is not impossible that disgruntled ANC MPs could vote with opposition parties in removing Zuma from Parliament, as long as that decision is not agreed upon within the ANC it would amount to a coup against Zuma. It would have to be something hatched away from the ANC, because the ANC would not accede to such a plan given Zuma’s continued hold within the party.  

If the conspirators within the ANC resolve to stage a coup and ultimately swallow their pride and hold hands with the opposition, the ANC structures would then be used to purge the conspirators. Assuming that the conspirators would have planned this outside the ANC, we can expect to see blood on the walls as retaliation would be met against those who staged the Parliament coup.

What worries me about this is the fact that there is no immediate post-Zuma plan in case he is successfully pushed out. The ANC is divided and therefore incapable of devising a coherent plan that would unite all in the party.

Zuma’s supporters within the party would not accept any post-Zuma scenario that does not include his allies. This poses a serious problem because the country would be held to ransom by a few who stand to benefit from continuing disastrous leadership being experienced.

It is naive to think that it would be easy to get rid of President Zuma without a plan to deal with the backlash. If anyone had doubts about this, look at what happened in Egypt after the fall of Hosni Mubarak. The country fell into chaos, which proved that there was no clear post-Mubarak plan.

South Africa needs to tread carefully. 

– Ralph Mathekga is an independent political analyst and author of the book When Zuma Goes. He writes a weekly column for News24.

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.

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Zuma may be junk status, but we are not

News24.com | Was Tom Moyane away when deputy was suspended?

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Johannesburg – Lawyers representing SARS suggested on Friday that Commissioner Tom Moyane was out of the country when one of the biggest operational decisions at the institution was made.

The SARS legal team seemed to suggest at a CCMA hearing that Moyane was away when the announcement was made to suspend Deputy Commissioner Ivan Pillay and SARS strategic planning executive Peter Richer.

Former SARS spokesperson Adrian Lackay spent the entire last week under cross examination by SARS Advocate Wisani Sibuyi. Lackay is suing SARS for constructive dismissal before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). He wants to be awarded a year’s salary.

Lackay had testified that he felt his working relationship at SARS had irretrievably broken down after December 5 when Pillay and Richter were suspended and a press release on this was sent to the media. Lackay said he was not told about the suspensions and his input in the press release sent out by SARS executive Luther Lebelo was not sought.

While SARS lawyers suggested that Moyane was away that week, Lackay said he had seen the Commissioner that morning and he had not mentioned the suspensions to him.

Lackay said the Sikakhane report was cited as the reason behind the suspensions, but the report had not yet been seen by the public.

“I had not seen the report,” said Lackay. “I had not been informed of any of these matters in order for myself, and [deputy spokesperson Marika] Muller to be prepared for all the media attention this was going to cause.”

He also said that if his input had been sought he would have advised them not to mention the Sikakhane Report because the public had not seen it and it would not engender the public’s trust in the institution if it was cited as the reason for the suspensions.

Media fallout

“This was a big issue. The news media and editors were calling me and I could not answer their questions. I have never, in all my years at SARS, had this happen to me,” Lackay said. “No thought was given to the potential media fallout this would ignite.”

He said Muller was told not to say anything more to the media about the issue, which in his opinion was the worst way to handle the situation as it showed an institution that was not being transparent with the public.

Lackay testified that he had gone on leave two weeks later. He had been instructed to speak to Moyane about this before he left, but when he tried, Moyane’s office said he was unavailable and Lackay was told he was out of the country.

Sibuyi said to Lackay that this incident did not show a breakdown in his relationship between Moyane and himself, but instead the statement showed that Lackay had been lying to the public for the past five years when he denied the existence of the so-called rogue unit at SARS.

Lackay disagreed.

Sibuyi then put it to Lackay that Moyane had not been away in the second week in December. He was instead out of the country in the first week that December.

“Moyane will deny this. He will say that he was away in the first week in December,” Sibuyi said.

“Sorry, I have to ask, because the dates are important here,” Lackay responded. “Are you saying that when these two suspensions happened and a statement on it was sent out to the media, the Commissioner was not in the country?”

Sibuyi responded: “are you quite done?” before moving on to another question. 

Lackay’s hearing will continue on Monday.