Category: Reportage

Source: South Africa News Agency

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has announced the appointment of key personnel to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

The commission, which is chaired by Zondo, is tasked with investigating alleged corruption and fraud in the public sector, including organs of State. The six appointments include experienced investigators, lawyers and advocates.  

The appointments include Dr Khotso De Wee, who is the current executive director of Fort Hare Solutions. He was the acting secretary general in the office of the Chief Justice. He has been appointed as the secretary of the State capture commission.

Former Auditor General Terence Nombembe has been appointed as the head of investigations. Nombembe is the CEO of the South African Institute of Charted Accountants.

While Zondo didn’t mention the investigators that Nombembe will lead for security reasons, he, however, assured that the team will be “multi-disciplined“ in order to cope with the type of investigation that is required by the commission.

“The team of investigators will have different skills… We are very conscious of the need for security. We are taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the issue of security is given priority,” Zondo said.

Other key appointments include Paul Joseph Pretorius, a member of the Singapore International Mediation of Advocates and panel member of the SA Law Commission Working Group on Mediation. Pretorius has been appointed as the head of the legal team. He will be supported by Isaac Vincent Maleka, who is a senior counsel and the Deputy Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee of Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors.

Other legal team members are Leah Gcabashe, who is the vice chairperson of the Johannesburg Society and Thandi Victoria Norman, who is currently the chairperson of The Advocates for Transformation in KwaZulu-Natal.

Justice Zondo, who expressed his confidence in the new team, said the appointments paves the way for the commission to start its work.

“The inquiry hearings will begin in the next few months but other investigations will take some time,” said Zondo, who confirmed that some of the work of the commission started work on 1 March.

The investigators will go out in the field in next two weeks, Zondo said.

The regulations for the inquiry were published in the Government Gazette on 9 February 2018. The regulations enable the chairperson of the commission to collect evidence and subpoena witnesses to testify before the commission and to present any documentary evidence relevant to the inquiry.

The publication of the regulation follows the earlier publication of the terms of reference of the commission under Government Gazette No. 41403 of 24 January 2018.  

The inquiry will investigate allegations of State capture, corruption and fraud in the public sector, including organs of State.

In the terms of the reference, the commission must investigate whether, to what extent and by whom, attempts were made, through any form of inducement or for any gain whatsoever to influence members of the National Executive, including Deputy Ministers, office bearers and directors of the boards of SOEs.

How the commission will work

Justice Zondo reiterated that the commission does not have the power to prosecute. It will make recommendations, prepare a report and then submit it to the President.

“If it appears there has been evidence of criminal conduct, the commission will make recommendations that law enforcement agencies can consider prosecution.”

Asked how the commission will deal with potentially hostile witnesses, Zondo said the inquiry has the power to “deal with” them.

With regards to potential witnesses in Dubai or India, Justice Zondo said: “The legal team will look at that issue very closely because it is something that cannot escape our attention.”

Looking into the time frames for the commission to finish its work, Justice Zondo said there is “simply no way” that they will be able to complete its work in six months.  Initially the Public Protector recommend that the commission should complete its work within 180 days.

He’s raised this with President Cyril Ramaphosa and they are looking at ways to address this.

“The desired outcome is that at the end of this investigation by this commission and the submitting of the report to the President and the public, South Africans can understand the depths of this issue of State Capture,” Zondo said, adding that the investigation will be done thoroughly, objectively and professionally. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

South African Local Government Association (SALGA) President Parks Tau says a diversified energy mix and renewable energy are possible solutions for municipalities to address disruptions in the energy sector.

Tau said the South African electricity and energy industry is still heavily reliant on a single supplier and operated in a traditional form which is not sustainable.

“The large scale utility business model is unsustainable and has to be fundamentally transformed. Whether we like it or not, electricity demand and sales are declining and this affects both Eskom and municipalities’ revenue,” said Tau.

He called for a decentralised energy supplier and for more competition in the energy sector.

“The rules need to change and provide for decentralised energy with both local government and consumers fulfilling a key role within the energy space, as opposed to only large-scale new generation,” said Tau.

Calling for a change in the type of energy used and the distribution thereof to municipalities while also maintaining the municipal purse, Tau said stakeholders had to be mindful of the challenges faced.

“The challenges we face include decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation,” he said.

Despite these challenges, the SALGA head noted that the changes in the energy sector had an impact across various levels.

“The impact of the transition will transform our economy, create employment opportunities, protect our environment and climate, and improve the quality of life of our citizens. Every sector of society has a role to play and all of us in the energy sector need to lead the transition for the benefit of all our citizens,” said Tau.  

In looking for sustainable solutions, Tau turned to technology as the key driver to changes in the energy sector.

“Technological innovation is driving massive change on a huge scale throughout the energy industry. Collectively, as government we have a responsibility to ensure that these innovations result in a reliable, cleaner and more affordable energy system. 

“This requires the right policies and legislative frameworks and a major shift from those regulations that constrain innovation and new solutions,” he said.

Tau called on government to take the lead to encourage and support innovation and new technologies to transition to sustainable solutions.  

“This means taking the transition to the next level where we jointly create enabling policy frameworks and coordinate across sectors to embrace and institutionalise this transition. To accelerate the process, we need innovation in our business models, in market design and models for cooperation,” said Tau. 

He added that government needed to provide a conducive environment that will attract investment which will fuel the energy transition.

“We must create the right conditions and certainty for investment in our transition to sustainable and clean energy, including investment in new technologies, in energy efficiency, in smart grids and increasing the capacity of the energy sector. 

“Let’s find strategies to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy in the financing and development of new infrastructure,” said Tau. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

Five human cases of rabies have been confirmed in South Africa since December 2017, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Wednesday.

The cases were recorded in patients from Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and two patients in KwaZulu-Natal.

The six cases involved exposures to rabid domestic dogs in three of the cases and domestic cats in three of the cases.

There was another possible case of rabies in the Free State, however, laboratory confirmation was not possible.

“Another probable case of rabies was reported from the Free State in December 2017, involving a patient that presented and died with the clinical diagnosis of rabies and suffered an exposure to a domestic cat before falling ill.

“In this case, laboratory confirmation was not possible due to the lack of appropriate specimens to do so,” said the NICD.

Treatment following exposure 

The institute said rabies in humans can be prevented through post-exposure prophylaxis.

“When a possible exposure occurs it is important to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and present to a healthcare facility for a rabies risk assessment as soon as possible,” it said.

Treatment includes a series of rabies vaccinations and the administration of rabies immunoglobulin.

Wound treatment, including washing and disinfection of the wounds, a tetanus booster vaccination and possibly antibiotic treatment depending on the nature of the exposure will also be provided at the healthcare facility.

While the six cases involved rabid cats and dogs, other animals may also become infected with the rabies virus and transmit the virus to humans. The NICD said such reports are less common.

The rabies virus is present in the saliva of the affected animal and may be transmitted to humans through bites, scratches or other wounds that break the skin and allow the infected saliva to enter the body.

Rabies prevention 

Rabies can be controlled in animals through the rabies vaccination.

“Rabies vaccination of domestic dogs and cats are mandatory by law in South Africa and the onus is on pet owners to ensure that their pets are vaccinated on schedule. Vaccinate your pets today,” the NICD urged.

More information is available on the NICD website: www.nicd.ac.za. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Gauteng Provincial Government has reaffirmed its commitment to finding the people responsible for the death of Taxify cab driver Siyabonga Ngcobo.

“We will make sure that whoever is behind this gruesome murder is [found and] arrested… They must be punished. We won’t rest until those responsible are arrested,” Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said on Wednesday.

She was briefing the media, together with Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi, following their visit the Ngcobo family in Centurion.

Last week, the burnt body of Ngcobo was found in the boot of a car in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

“We are shocked as the Gauteng government that a person can just take someone’s life. This boy was showing signs of being a good citizen. He was a student…his family was hoping that he would contribute to bettering his life, as well as the life of his family,” MEC Nkosi-Malobane said.

She said she has instructed investigators working on the case to update the family on the developments.

Dealing with rogue elements

MEC Vadi said with the National Land Transport Amendment Bill before Parliament, provision is being made for the recognition of e-hailing services and that they should be registered under the meter taxi category.

“From our department, we have taken a clear policy decision that Uber and Taxify … have to apply for operating licences. We have already received about 1 500 applications from Uber and we are also sitting with thousands of applications from Uber drivers,” he said.

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is processing the applications with the municipalities.

MEC Vadi said he suspects that a new group of people are operating as meter taxi drivers illegally.

“As the Gauteng Provincial Government, we must draw a line… This violence has been going on for quite some time between Uber, Taxify and meter taxi drivers and people think they can do what they want.

“We don’t know who the suspects are but should the evidence point in the direction of [meter taxis], if we have to shut down all operations with meter taxis in the province, we will do that. We can’t carry on like this,” he said.

MEC Vadi described the murder as a despicable act, saying it was nothing but a barbaric act of criminality.

“We can’t have barbaric behaviour become the new norm to resolve a business dispute… It’s a commercial interest matter,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Ngcobo family, Nosipho Mathenjwa thanked the MECs for the support that they have given to the family.

Mathenjwa said she hopes that what happened to Ngcobo will never happen to another family again. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) acting head Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata says contrary to media reports, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) never hindered the work of the Hawks in the Estina investigation matter.

She said this when she, alongside NPA head Shaun Abrahams, appeared before the joint meeting of the portfolio committees on police and justice and correctional services on Wednesday.

Following her appearance before the Portfolio Committee on Police two weeks ago on February 28, the Lieutenant General told MPs that the DPCI handed over a docket on the Estina matter in November last year and stated that they only effected arrests in February 2018 because the Hawks were awaiting a prosecutorial decision from the NPA.

The Lieutenant General said on Wednesday that the perception that her comments insinuated that the NPA hindered the work of the DPCI were incorrect.

“Firstly it has to be clarified because the presentation started with what was said in the Portfolio Committee on Police by myself in that the work of the DPCI was hindered by the NPA.

“I think that question was asked twice and I expressly said that the work of the DPCI was never hindered by the NPA but gave context to maybe hindering in that context might be the time delay if it was perceived like that … of working out from the onset that the docket was provided up until the arrest of the suspects, that there was a hindering in that context of people taken to court, but not necessarily that NPA hindered the work of the DPCI.

“I just want to correct that because it seems as if there is that understanding that I indicated that the work of the DPCI was hindered by the NPA. I need to emphasise that,” she said.

Briefing MPs on Wednesday, Advocate Abrahams responded by giving a blow-by-blow account of meetings and collaboration between the DPCI and NPA on the matter, stating that delays were on some instances caused by the fact that concerns were raised over the fact that there wasn’t sufficient information or evidence to prosecute on the matter.

He said he never delayed arrests of those implicated in the matter as those decisions are taken independent from his office.

“To answer your questions, was the investigation to the Estina matter concluded in November 2017. In other words, was a fully investigated docket submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority in November 2017? The answer is an emphatic no. That much is evidenced from the facts I presented today.

“Was the DPCI only given a go ahead by the NPA team of prosecutors in February 2018 which resulted in the arrests? That is correct. The investigations were at a stage where a prima facie case had been made against the individuals had been arrested … when the warrants of arrests were [issued].”

Abrahams said the NPA regarded the DPCI as one of their critical partners in the fight against national and trans-national crime, financial crimes, maladministration, money laundering, “corruption and organised crime in all its forms and manifestations”.

“We look forward to continue working closely with the DPCI in building on the already entrenched professional relationship, goodwill and generally good relations between the two institutions and of giving effect to the provisions of section 41 (18) of the Constitution,” he said.

Matakata said the media reports that emerged that painted a picture of a stand-off between the DPCI and the NPA were incorrect.

“I think if we can really understand that we are mandated both, and I am also mandated by the Act, DPCI has to function in a multi-disciplinary approach.

“We [DPCI] have to work with other government institutions and DPCI has to work with prosecutors, there is no other way, because they must take matters to court, they must prosecute the matter.” – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South Africa News Agency

South African Local Government Association (SALGA) President Parks Tau says the changes in the energy sector, which has seen businesses going off-the-grid could cripple municipalities in future, adding that the time has come for sustainable solutions to municipal revenue.

“The growing number of businesses that are operating off-the-grid indicates an increase in the consumption of clean energy. The lesser the number of companies connected to the grid, the greater the chances for our municipalities to be financially unviable. 

“This then calls for all stakeholders attending the Energy Summit from today to find sustainable solutions to municipal revenue generation mechanisms,” said Tau.

The SALGA head was speaking ahead of the opening of the SALGA Energy Summit which kicks off at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon.   

The Summit brings together high ranking political leadership in the country, stakeholders in the finance, economics and the energy sector.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address at the opening of the Summit. The President will be accompanied by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Zweli Mkhize.

SALGA President Tau said the association is concerned about the monopolization of energy by national power utility, Eskom, and there is a need to bring in competitors in the energy sector.

“As part of the medium-term solutions, we remain convinced that there is a need to unbundle the role of the national power utility, Eskom, within the energy value chain. Ours must be to invest in a reciprocal energy sector whose collective quest is to aid economic growth and reduce the financial burden on citizens,” said Tau. 

Tau said his association will use the Summit to discuss how changes in the energy sector will affect local government and how municipalities can better prepare for these changes.

“There is a shift away from centralised generation and distribution monopolies to more distributed, user-engaged, digitally integrated energy systems,” said Tau.

In a bid to find solutions, Tau said SALGA would look at how the transition manifests economically, legally and financially for local government; how the energy economy can potentially unlock job creation and stimulate economic development.

In addition, President Tau said SALGA would propose a legislative framework that will assist in the alignment between national and local energy planning.

He said the drop in the sale of electricity calls for municipalities to seize arising opportunities and minimise potential risks associated with the introduction of renewable energy technologies in the domestic electricity system. 

“These dynamics have radical implications for local municipalities that are compelled to re-define their role in the electricity value chain and adapt their funding and operating models.”

Tau said the timing of the Summit is impeccable as it coincides with new political leadership which he hopes will challenges every participant at the gathering to rise to the task that awaits.

“As SALGA, we hope that the spirit of ‘Thuma Mina’, ‘Send Me’ – will challenge each and every participant in this Summit to get involved in creating a sustainable energy future in our municipalities, provinces and throughout South Africa,” said Tau. – SAnews.gov.za