South Africa Archives - Page 98 of 122

Gupta Preservation Order Expected from the NPA

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the constitutionally-empowered body able to enact criminal proceedings on behalf of the country, is expected to issue members of the infamous Gupta family with preservation orders imminently.

The orders relate to the Estina Dairy Farm, a business through which the family is said to have funneled taxpayer money, paid by the Free State department of agriculture. This is the first time evidence is coming to light of members of the family directly benefiting financially due to questionable dealings with SA government entities.

The country’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) obtained the latest preservation order from the Bloemfontein High Court last week. In the same week, orders were served on consulting firm McKinsey and Gupta-linked Trillian, preserving an estimated R1.6 billion.

Court papers show that little to no oversight was exercised by the department of agriculture over how the funds for the farm were being spent. The AFU has found that of the R220 million given to Estina for the project‚ only R2 million was actually spent on the farm. Atul Gupta is one the individuals whose personal bank accounts are affected by the order. The court papers reveal R10 million of the funds paid to Estina for the dairy farm was paid into his personal bank account.

The order affects several individuals and Gupta-owned companies‚ including Kamal Vasram‚ Oakbay CEO Ronica Ragavan, Oakbay Investments‚ Islandsite Investments‚ VR Laser Services‚ Linkway Trading and Westdawn Investments.

Eugene Nel has been appointed curator of the assets and must file a report within 40 days, containing a detailed inventory of the assets. Those affected now have 90 days to contest the order, or allow their assets to be seized and sold off to recover the funds. According to the papers‚ the R220 million was paid into three bank accounts controlled by Estina over a 29-month period, between April 2013 and May 2016.

The intensified investigation into corruption involving the Guptas is seen by many as a direct result of the election of the newly-appointed ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has stated in numerous public speeches that he intends to root out corruption in South Africa, and focus on reviving the economy going forward.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3]. Image source: [1].

South Africa

New Level 6B Water Restrictions in Cape Town

Cape Town will be under Level 6B water restrictions from 1 February, as the city closes in on Day Zero, when taps are set to shut down.

The new restrictions limit usage to 50 liters per person per day – in contrast to the current allowance of 86 liters. Level 6B will be in place for a number of months, before the City of Cape Town considers lifting them.

Cape Town is in the middle of its summer months, and rainfall is very infrequent. Dam levels are critical, and the city is not meeting its current usage targets.

Under Level 6B restrictions borehole and wellpoint water usage is discouraged, filling up of pools is not permitted, and washing of cars can only be done using recycled water. Households using more than 6000 liters per month will face fines.

The City is currently having desalination plants build at 3 sites around Cape Town, to help augment the water supply, beginning in February. A collaborative report from researchers at numerous South African universities released recently stated that there will be dangerous levels of E.coli and Staph in the desalinated water, as the process only removes salt. The City will need to implement special filtration systems in order to remove these pathogens, and make the water safe to drink. The City has not yet commented on doing so, apart from stating that the water will meet national standards. Currently, these national standards do not, by law, require the removal of the pathogens.

The new plan is for households that use up to 6‚000 litres of water a month‚ currently paying R28.44‚ to pay R145.98 instead — though Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said she would push to exempt them from the punitive tariffs.

For those who use up to 10‚500 litres‚ the bill will rise from R109.50 to R390.82. Households that use up to 20‚000 litres will see their bill rise from R361.06 to R1‚536.25; up to 35‚000 litres‚ up from R1‚050.04 to R6‚939.57; and up to 50‚000 litres‚ up from R2‚888.81 to R20‚619.57. de Lille stated that provision will be made for households larger than four people to ensure that they are not unfairly penalised.

Dam levels are currently at 26.5%, and Cape Town is using over 600 million liters of water a day. The new target is 27% below that.

Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, stated yesterday that she had written to President Jacob Zuma, requesting that a national disaster be declared, after the likelihood of Day Zero was confirmed by the City of Cape Town. On the same day, she attended a meeting at the provincial disaster management headquarters to discuss preparation for, and management of, Day Zero and its aftermath, and stated that there is no precedent anywhere in the world for this kind of disaster.

Day Zero is currently said to be 21 April, with 200 water collection sites planned to be set up around the city should the taps be shut off.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4]. Image source: [2].

South Africa

Ramaphosa May Announce State Capture Prosecution Process

Newly-elected ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce a special prosecution process on state capture during his keynote speech on 13 January.

Ramaphosa is buoyed by a North Gauteng High Court decision to grant him the powers to appoint the National Director of Public Prosecution, after it nullified President Jacob Zuma’s appointment of Shaun Abrahams to the position.

Ramaphosa and the rest of the ANC top six are currently in KwaZulu-Natal, where they are meeting with Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, and possibly discussing the viability President Zuma’s stepping down from his role before the end of his second term.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Source: [1]. Image source: [1].

South Africa

Fresh Bid to Oust Zuma

President Jacob Zuma has until Tuesday 9 January to step down as head of state, or risk facing yet another motion of no confidence vote.

The President has already survived two motions of no confidence in the NEC, as well as eight in Parliament. This time, however, he will no longer be the leader of the ANC, and members in the Ramaphosa camp may be more willing to vote against the President, without fear of reprisal.

As it stands, Zuma may face a choice between voluntarily resigning, or facing public embarrassment by being forced out by his fellow party members, on public television. Either way, he would be vacating his position over a year earlier than he would have had he been able to complete his second term as President.

The economy has performed poorly during Zuma’s time as leader of South Africa, and credit ratings have been downgraded over the years, negatively impacting foreign investment, and therefore the livelihood of all of the country’s citizens.

There is great hope that the new ANC leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, who was voted in at the ANC’s recent National Conference, will have a positive impact on the country’s economic state, drawing from his extensive business experience.

Zuma’s preferred candidate for leader of the ANC, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, failed to garner more votes than Ramaphosa during the Conference. It is thought that she will still be given a position in the party’s new cabinet, in order to placate her supporters.

Numerous ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) members have stated that Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom is preparing a fresh motion of no confidence in President Zuma, which he plans to bring forth before the senior members of the ANC meet on 10 January.

The President is also facing calls to step down from the ANC’s alliance partners, the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

Those in support of Ramaphosa feel that Zuma’s having been at the center of numerous controversies has hurt the ANC’s reputation in the eyes of the general public, as well as its performance in the 2016 municipal elections. They believe that this trend will continue into the country’s next general election, scheduled to take place during 2019. An early Zuma departure, they hope, will serve to strengthen confidence in the party’s ability to root out corruption, and lead the nation going forward.

For more information about the 2019 South African general election, click here.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Source: [1], [2]. Image source: [1].