For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Parties want investigation into Thembi Simelane VBS allegations; Ramaphosa assigns responsibilities for several SOEs to their respective Ministries; And, BLSA CEO highlights opportunities, concerns for logistics sector

Parties want investigation into Thembi Simelane VBS allegations

ActionSA has approached the Public Protector to urgently investigate allegations made against Justice Minister Thembi Simelane, relating to the now-collapsed VBS Bank and to probe a potential violation of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act.

This after revelations that during Simelane’s tenure as mayor of the Polokwane municipality, she personally took a so-called “loan” from the “corrupt investment brokerage” that facilitated the unlawful investment of R349-million from the municipality into VBS.

ActionSA parliamentary caucus leader Athol Trollip said should the Public Protector conclude that there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, his party will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa, requesting the immediate removal of Simelane as Justice Minister.                        

Trollip said ActionSA needed answers as to whether South Africa’s Justice Minister was possibly the recipient and beneficiary of illicit VBS cash, as reported.

The Democratic Alliance also expressed concerns, highlighting that it had submitted a request to the chair of the Justice Parliamentary Portfolio for Simelane to appear before the portfolio to answer to these allegations.

DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development advocate Glynnis Breytenbach said Simelane‘s allegations raised serious questions about the Minister’s integrity and her ability to fulfil the critical role of upholding justice in South Africa.

Ramaphosa assigns responsibilities for several SOEs to their respective Ministries

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assigned shareholder responsibility for each of the State-owned enterprises that previously fell under the Department of Public Enterprises to the respective line-function Ministries.

Ramaphosa has signed proclamations which transfer the administration, powers and functions entrusted by the specified legislation as outlined below. 

⁠Alexkor has been assigned to the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources; ⁠Denel to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans; Eskom to the Minister of Electricity and Energy; ⁠the South African Forestry Company to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; ⁠and South African Airways, South African Express and Transnet to the Minister of Transport.

In addition, certain sections of the Overvaal Resorts Limited Act of 1993 and Overvaal Resorts Limited Act Repeal Act of 2019 are vested with the Minister of Water and Sanitation.

Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation appointing the Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation as the executive authority of the DPE, which will continue to exist and operate until the human and financial resources are transferred appropriately.

And, BLSA CEO highlights opportunities, concerns for logistics sector

South Africa’s electricity story is an example of what can be achieved when a problem is approached in a new way, and holds potential lessons for other industries, business organisation Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has said.

She believes the country has almost achieved the end of loadshedding, which she attributes to private-sector investment in renewable-energy plants, as well as the partnership between government and business enabling State-owned entity Eskom to improve plant performance, all aligned with the Energy Action Plan.

Mavuso stated that there are several public-private partnerships that Transnet is working on, including concessions for Richard’s Bay and Durban ports. But compared with the electricity sector, which enabled a dramatic increase in investment, the steps on the logistics front are lukewarm.

She pointed out that Transnet is struggling to raise finance owing to its high debt level that is costing it R13-billion a year to service, including R60-billion of debt accumulated during State capture for which the utility received no positive value.

The entity now faces a R51.4-billion maintenance backlog for network restoration while its fleet of locomotives is aging rapidly. 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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