South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday 27 August

For all the latest news in South Africa, be sure to check out which headlines are making waves across the country on Thursday 27 August.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa stares down the parliamentary gauntlet, which is expected to present an especially gruelling question and answer session, the continuing scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) mars Women’s Month with calls for urgent government interventions increasing.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday 27 AUGUST

Ramaphosa faces tough question and answer session

President Ramaphosa will find himself in the National Assembly’s hot seat today, as political opponents fire tough questions during a long-awaited question and answer session. While Ramaphosa has welcomed initiatives aimed at exposing the rot of corruption and collusion between public officials and unscrupulous private sector stakeholders, the looting of funds intended for coronavirus relief efforts is a hot topic which is destined to dominate today’s parliamentary proceedings.

John Steenhuisen, leader of the official opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), will be quizzing the president over official reports of corruption related to departments, provincial governments and public entities during the period of the National State of Disaster.

Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), is also set to grill Ramaphosa over the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) mandate, progress and relation to the controversial ANC-led Ministerial Committee tasked with looking into coronavirus-related corruption.

On Wednesday evening, Ramaphosa welcomed the publication of “all COVID-19 related government expenditure” saying:

“By publishing these lists we have honoured our promise to the South African people. They enable proper scrutiny of the details of all companies who have received tenders for COVID-19 related services.”

Ruling party readies for feisty National Executive Committee meeting

The ruling ANC, which has been debilitated by widespread allegations of corruption and factionalism since the start of lockdown in March, is preparing to hold a crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting this coming weekend. The meeting, which involves all top leaders of the ANC, is set against the backdrop of President Ramaphosa’s tough talk on corruption within the party’s ranks.

Ramaphosa’s war talk, coupled with support for lifestyle audits and the strengthening of the party’s Integrity Commission, has, allegedly, upset some high-ranking ANC leaders. Party spokesperson, Pule Mabe, has, however, denied any internal contestation.

Former ANC Youth League Deputy Andile Lungisa has called for an urgent investigation into Ramaphosa’s controversial campaign funding as a first step to combating high-level corruption within the party.

Meanwhile, the highly controversial redeployment of former eThekweni mayor, Zandile Gumede, to the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, while still under investigation for corruption and fraud involving a multi-million rand tender, is expected to dominate the NEC’s discourse.

Mbalula’s war on booze overshadowed by ailing rail infrastructure

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has condemned South Africa’s unhealthy and destructive relationship with alcohol. Following the unbanning of booze under Level 2 lockdown, a number of alcohol-related catastrophes have played out on the country’s roads. As such, Mbalula has pushed for an official zero-tolerance approach to drunk driving; a law which has been criticised by several road safety associations.

But while Mbalula takes steady aim at liquor, South Africans have voiced their dismay with the state of the country’s railroad infrastructure. Recently-published images from Gauteng — Kliptown, Soweto, in particular — show the wholesale destruction of stations, rails and overhead cables.

Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng confirmed that vandalism and theft had crippled services in the province, leaving millions of commuters stranded.

Spate of gender-based violence intensifies public outrage

Five women have been murdered in Gauteng and two university students brutally raped in Limpopo in the past 48 hours. The latest wave of femicide and GBV comes after a particularly bloody month, exemplified by the brutal killing of Asithandile “Kwasa” Zozo, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend. The killings also come during Women’s Month and a year after the murder of 19-year-old University of Cape Town (UCT) student, Uyinene Mrwetyana.

While President Ramaphosa has described the wave of GBV as South Africa’s ‘second pandemic’, outraged citizens have called on government to do more to protect the lives of women and children.

On Friday, the National Assembly is expected to be updated on commitments made by President Ramaphosa in response to the scourge of GBV.

South Africans urged to consider debt counselling

While more South Africans have returned to work as a result of the easing of lockdown restrictions, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) is urging those earning an income, but unable to make ends meet, to make use of debt counselling.

“Although many sectors have been allowed to get back to work, many South African households are in significant financial hardship and others have been struggling to make ends meet, even before the COVID-19 pandemic,” acting Manager for Education and Communication at the NCR, Advocate Kedilatile Legodi, said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NCR said debt counselling was introduced in the National Credit Act (NCA) in 2007 as a debt relief measure intended to assist over-indebted consumers struggling to repay their debts.

This is done through the restructuring of their debts and making repayments manageable.

“Whilst it may be difficult for many to confront their financial hardship, consumers who are receiving an income are encouraged to act immediately by considering debt counselling as a debt relief measure and to do so before their assets, such as houses, cars and others, are repossessed by credit providers,” said Legodi. (Source: SAnews)

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

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