/ 20 August 2018

Qualifications of yet another City of Tshwane official under investigation

(Gemma Ritchie/M&G)
(Gemma Ritchie/M&G)

Business Day

  • How Guptas were let loose on Eskom

Gupta acolyte Collin Matjila is the man who, perhaps more than any other single individual, opened the door for the family to start plundering Eskom’s R50-billion a year coal budget.

READ MORE: Treasury confirmation — Eskom looting was an inside job

  • Delays by power utility batter contractors

A slowdown in Eskom’s electrification programme is choking small contractors and compounding the effects of a slowing economy, says one supplier to the power utility’s clients.

  • Post Office gives priority to clearing massive backlog

The SA Post Office has about 38 million items of mail in its depot that need sorting, more than half of which are a backlog from July’s strike.

The Star

  • Joburg’s demolition drive

The City of Joburg has taken drastic action on building approval abuse by issuing 54 demolition orders that will see these structures flattened to the ground.

  • Renew my ANC membership, Buthelezi asks

IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi wants to rejoin the ANC so much that he gets angry when governing party MP’s mock him about his in Parliament.

  • Churches to challenge ‘one doctrine for all’ ruling

The North Gauteng high court could force all churches in South Africa to embrace same-sex unions, although this may be against their religious beliefs.

The Citizen

  • SACP ‘supports probe’

The SACP expects much more to be revealed by the criminal investigation into corruption within state-owned companies and it has given its full support to the commission of inquiry into state capture headed by Judge Raymond Zondo.

  • Journos take on EFF spy claims

A pending legal wrangle between the EFF and journalists Thandeka Gqubule and Anton Harber could go as far as the Constitutional Court. The two senior scribes are intent on clearing their names of the EFF’s allegations they were apartheid-era Stratcom spies.

READ MORE: Thandeka Gqubule hits back at Stratcom allegations

Sibanye-Stillwater sticking point in talks

Salary negotiations in the gold sector will resume tomorrow when the Minerals Council is expected to make a final salary increase offer to trade unions.

Sowetan

  • Solly more ‘attractive’ to voters

The DA has chosen Solly Msimanga as its Gauteng premier candidate because its internal survey results indicated that Msimanga was “more attractive to voters”.

  • Tshwane probes hiring of yet another official

The City of Tshwane has launched an investigation into the status of the qualifications of its emergency services boss Previn Govender, in the latest of scandals involving the hiring of top officials in the capital.

READ MORE: Tshwane mayor’s chief of staff on special leave over qualification claims

Daily Sun

  • Leaders mourn Annan

Tributes are pouring in for late Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan. His foundation announced on Saturday that he had died at the age of 80 after a short illness.

READ MORE: Former UN chief Kofi Annan dies

Stories making headlines around the world:

Federal authorities investigating whether Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, committed bank and tax fraud have zeroed in on loans obtained by taxi businesses that he and his family own. Any criminal charges against Mr. Cohen, which could be filed by the end of the month, would deal a significant blow to the president. (The New York Times)

The Indonesian island still struggling to recover from earlier earthquakes that killed more than 450 people. (The Guardian)

A group of elderly South Koreans have arrived in North Korea to meet relatives they have not seen since the Korean War of 1950-1953. (BBC)

“The conditional ceasefire will start tomorrow and it will continue as long as the Taliban preserves and respects it,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said. (NBC News)

The first Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast in 25 years raked in $34 million over its first five days—the best opening for any romantic comedy in several years and a huge victory for representation in Hollywood. (Quartz)