This week African National Congress provincial structures wrapped up their selection of candidates for next year’s general elections. Jaspreet Kindra looks at the ANC provincial lists and the names being mentioned in the organisation’s ranks as likely candidates to head the provinces.

In an attempt to clear his name, Deputy President Jacob Zuma has launched his own informal investigation into allegations that he was involved in corruption in the government’s multibillion-rand weapons procurement programme. This emerged after Zuma held a briefing about two weeks ago for African National Congress members in KwaZulu-Natal to protest his innocence and to drum up support.

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Penuell Maduna is receiving little sympathy from — and has even become the butt of jokes in — the African National Congress after publicly announcing that he would not be available for a Cabinet post next year.

The KwaZulu-Natal legislature is expected to subject Jo-Anne Downs, an African Christian Democratic Party member, to disciplinary action for giving a confidential auditor general’s report about financial irregularities in the House to the Mail & Guardian.

Controversial mining tycoon Brett Kebble has launched an extraordinary attack on the Scorpions boss Bulelani Ngcuka for alleged ”slanderous and racist” remarks he made against the businessman. According to Kebble the remarks were made at a private briefing by Ngcuka attended by several newspaper editors in July.

The Scorpions investigative unit is searching for tons of armaments that former Inkatha Freedom Party warlord Phillip Powell smuggled into KwaZulu-Natal in the early 1990s. Advocate Lungisa Dyosi, legal adviser to Scorpion head Bulelani Ngcuka, confirmed that the unit is in search of the arms, ”which we believe are in the KwaZulu-Natal area”.

The Kungwini local municipality in Bronkhorstpruit overpaid, by nearly R100 000, for five cars — including a 4X4 for its mayor. It dispensed with calling for tenders ”due to emergency and necessity”.

The affiliates of the Congress of South African Trade Unions want to elect their own representatives directly to Parliament, rather than ride piggyback on the African National Congress.