Power FM chairperson Given Mkhari has explained events leading up to the cancellation of the Chairman’s Conversation after President Cyril Ramaphosa bowed out at the last minute.

In a statement on Thursday, the Presidency said Ramaphosa had pulled out of the event following pressure from civil society organisations Wise 4 Afrika and the Soul City Institute who raised concerns after Ipeleng Mkhari laid charges against her husband last year.

The statement was released just before the event was to begin.

In it, spokesperson Khusela Diko said: “President Ramaphosa firmly believes that he, like every other South African, has a responsibility to do everything within his means to confront gender-based violence, and to do nothing undermines the effectiveness of the national effort.

“The Presidency emphasises that the non-participation of President Ramaphosa should not be read as an endorsement of the untested allegations raised by the civil society organisations, but a carefully weighed-up decision taken in the public interest.”

While the charges were eventually withdrawn, both organisations said in a statement Given had not accounted for his actions.

Addressing guests and listeners on air at the event, he said the issue between him and his wife was a personal one despite him being a public figure. It was broadcast on Power FM, Capricorn FM and eNCA. 

“As human beings and individuals, we have the right to privacy … to the extent that we are not ignorant of the nature of what we do, we still communicated or acknowledged that something wrong had happened between us and asked friends, family, colleagues and the public to accord us privacy,” Given said.

He added before the event, his wife, the Presidency and NGOs had tried to find a solution to the matter, even looking for someone else to host the event.

“Mrs Mkhari said solutions deal with an event today, would accountability be reduced, should accountability be reduced to an event?”

Given opted to cancel the event, which he announced while addressing guests.

“We absolutely respect the decision of the Presidency. We also acknowledge that leading a country of about 58 million people is not child’s play, there are a whole lot of considerations and things at play that ordinary citizens like us may never understand,” he said.

“We will continue everything humanly possibly within our means to ensure this country succeeds, and that’s all we set out to do. We will continue to be open to debating people’s views about us as individuals and as an organisation because the nature of our business is dialogue.

“I want to thank the efforts that I’ve seen made by the Presidency to ensure that he honours the commitment that he made to us. I want to thank and maybe acknowledge people who when they feel strongly about something they do something about it,” Mkhari said.

“Over the past weeks … or year, team Power … [is] not aware of new-found developments that would justify us being treated different but it’s possible that with time we will come to be aware.”

The case of three men accused of smuggling a lion cub into Cape Town’s southern suburbs will continue in February after it emerged that the investigating officer is trying to obtain DNA evidence from the place the cub was allegedly smuggled from.

Shurud Jacobs, Moegamat Rayaan Simons and Sulaiman Effendi were arrested in August after the cub was found at Effendi’s Athlone home.

News24 previously reported that the cub was transported from Thabazimbi, north west of Pretoria, to the Western Cape.

After it was found, the Stock Theft Unit registered a possession of endangered species docket and the cub was taken to a place of safety.

Appearing in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, the men heard that the investigating officer was in Thabazimbi, gathering evidence to establish whether the cub in question was, in fact, the one taken from Thabazimbi, as was previously reported.

Police previously said the cub had an estimated street value of R50 000.

The State requested the return date to give enough time for the DNA analysis to take place and to compile a report.

The three men – aged 28, 29 and 31 – were arrested for allegedly possessing a protected animal.

All three men are out on R5 000 bail each.

The matter has been postponed to February 13.

Former SARS boss Tom Moyane is expected to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court for the first time on Tuesday in connection with allegations that he assaulted the mother of his grandchild.

Leading the prosecution is the head of AfriForum’s private prosecuting unit, advocate Gerrie Nel.

It is alleged that Moyane assaulted Lerato Maila, who was 17 years old at the time and who was involved in a relationship with his son.

News24 previously reported that Moyane allegedly tackled and kicked Maila during a heated altercation.

She had a bruised jaw, a cut inside her check and a bruised abdomen, according to medical reports.

READ | Moyane vs Gordhan: Public enterprises minister welcomes chance to be cross-examined by ex-SARS boss

The private prosecution comes after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute, saying it saw no chances of success.

“According to Maila, Tom Moyane assaulted her in May 2018 at his house in Roodepoort, Gauteng by scratching her on her abdomen, pushing her around and kicking her in the face,” AfriForum said.

“Moyane also threw her cellphone into pieces against the wall before the alleged attack when he realised that she had been recording him. Maila phoned her mother immediately after the alleged attack, who told her to lay charges at the SAPS (SA Police Service).

“The NPA decided not to prosecute Moyane, however, because according to them, there wasn’t enough evidence,” AfriForum added.

“AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit will privately prosecute Moyane on behalf of Lerato Maila for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, as well as damage to property with regard to her cellphone”.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has denied claims that it charged Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth in the Equality Court to appease the Langebaan community, a report says.

This after Sunday newspaper Rapport reported this weekend that the commission’s CEO had warned it did not have enough evidence that the Springbok lock had used racist language.

The Commission is representing the so-called Langebaan Four in an Equality Court case against Etzebeth whom it said allegedly used a racial slur against them during an incident outside a pub in the West Coast town on August 25.

The four are looking for compensation of more than R1m and want Etzebeth to apologise, to undergo anger management and racial sensitivity training, and to do community service, News24 previously reported.

READ | Etzebeth case: I was quoted out of context, says SAHRC’s Buang Jones 

A transcript of a meeting between SAHRC commissioners suggested they were so concerned with what the community of Langebaan would say if they did not charge Etzebeth that they decided to charge him before they had finished their investigation, Rapport reported.

This is contained in internal documents that the SAHRC handed over to Etzebeth’s legal team.

In October, Etzebeth launched an application asking the Gauteng High Court to review the SAHRC’s decision to take the case to the Equality Court.

Rapport also reported the documents provided to him do not contain a sworn affidavit by any of the four people who were allegedly assaulted.

However, it does contain notes of interviews an SAHRC official had with three of the four people, and there are differences in their version of events.

In a subsequent report on Netwerk24, the SAHRC denied it had charged Etzebeth to appease the community of Langebaan.

SAHRC chairperson Bongani Majola told the website it seemed Rapport’s report was out of context and that he does not recall a meeting where the CEO warned it did not have enough evidence to charge Etzebeth.

Concerns about the SAHRC’s perceived stance were raised after its acting legal head, Buang Jones, made comments at a public meeting in Langebaan where he vowed Etzebeth would be used to “set an example”, and that he “got away with murder”.

When Jones was interviewed for the soon-to-be-vacant post of Deputy Public Protector, he told the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services his comments were taken out of context, News24 reported two weeks ago.

Etzebeth was part of the victorious Springbok team that won the Rugby World Cup in Japan. He denied the allegations against him before leaving for Japan with the rest of the squad.

– Compiled by Jan Gerber