/ 21 August 2018

Expropriation could leave Land Bank broke

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

Business Day

  • Expropriation could bankrupt Land Bank

Expropriation of land without compensation could bankrupt the Land Bank, one of the few state-owned enterprises that is not a drain on the country’s finances, and trigger a potential R41-billion bailout from the government.

  • Transnet sweet-talks itself out of credit default

Rail monopoly Transnet, whose CEO is under fire for his role in a questionable locomotives deal, has had to sweet-talk lenders holding R15.8-billion of its debt after a qualified audit on its 2018 results triggered a credit default.

READ MORE: Transnet records growth in profits despite axe hanging over CEO’s head

  • Sasol tackles power outages to secure steady production

Sasol has taken matters into its own hands to ensure it has a reliable power supply at its Secunda synfuels operation after several unplanned electricity supply interruptions from Eskom over the past year have had a “significant” financial effect on the company.

The Star

  • Hunt for Gupta ‘friends’

A senior national treasury official was due to be the first to take the stand in the state capture inquiry to give evidence on whether civil servants had enabled looting of state companies by the Guptas or the rulers in place.

READ MORE: State capture inquiry: First witness to testify on Day 2

Hundreds jobless as Afro Worldview is taken off air

Close to 350 workers have been left jobless after MultiChoice followed through on its promise and removed the former Gupta TV from its DStv platform yesterday.

  • Zim denies top SA advocated permits

While it has emerged that the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation will for the first time air a live broadcast of the much-anticipated Constitutional Court case tomorrow, there is still uncertainty over the readiness of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance’s legal team.

Daily Sun

  • Mzansi needs more women in politics

A call for laws to ensure 50% or political leaders were women was made at the Women’s Charter Review Conference held in Parliament yesterday.

  • Furious residents not backing down

Tension has been simmering in KaNyamazane outside Mbombela for the past two weeks. Yesterday, the heat was turned up when Premier Refilwe Mtsweni again tried to talk to furious residents in a meeting.

Sowetan

  • ‘Kaunda arranged date with Guptas’

Ex-president Jacob Zuma’s trusted and powerful former adviser Lakela Kaunda is being accused of facilitating a meeting between state capture whistleblower Vytjie Mentor and the infamous Gupta family.

  • Ace plays down uproar over Supra

ANC secretary general Ace Magashule has played down calls for the disbandment of the North West provincial leadership, labelling them as “side issues”.

The Citizen

  • Long trek to new home

The herd of blue wildebeest, 30 strong, thundered in to the boma, nearly blinded by a cloud of dust raised by beating blades of the SA National Parks (SANParks) helicopter as it drove them towards the trucks which would be their home for the next 26 hours.

  • Buthelezi claim rubbished

The Inkatha Freedom Party has dismissed reports that its leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi wants the ANC to renew his membership so he can die peacefully.

  • City boss flirts with jail

Tshwane’s city manager, Moeketsi Mosola, faces six months behind bars in the city again if it ignores a court order forbidding it from concluding agreements with any service provider other than the Moipone group of companies in sourcing certain categories of vehicles.

Stories making headlines across the world:

UK foreign secretary will also ask US president to tighten rules on online election advertising. (The New York Times)

US President Donald Trump has said he is worried he might face perjury charges if he gives statements under oath to the investigation into Russia’s alleged role in his election victory. (BBC)