SA’s political scene will be abuzz with high-profile court cases and the release of part two of a three-part report into state capture by the commission’s chair, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
The Zondo commission, which published the first part of its report earlier in January, highlighted that firms such as PwC and Bain were involved in questionable deals with state-owned entities. It also detailed how several parastatals were looted and weakened, including SAA, the SA Revenue Service and the Government Communication and Information System.
The nation is on tenterhooks to hear what the second report will say, and who it will implicate in wrongdoing. The third part of the report will be released at the end of February.
Former president Jacob Zuma, who was at the heart of state capture during his tenure and assisted the Gupta family in pushing their business interests, is due to appear at the high court in Pietermaritzburg on Monday as the arms deal trial continues. Zuma and his co-accused, French arms company Thales, are facing charges of fraud, racketeering, corruption and money-laundering relating to the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal of the 1990s.
While the trial is finally expected to start on Monday, Zuma, who has already lost an application to have lead prosecutor Billy Downer recuse himself, is appealing against judge Piet Koen’s decision.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) — which is tasked with interviewing candidates for judicial positions, making recommendations for appointments to the bench and dealing with complaints brought against the judges — will from Tuesday to Friday be interviewing the four front-runners for the position of chief justice. The four candidates are Zondo; Supreme Court of Appeal president Mandisa Maya; Constitutional Court justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga; and Gauteng judge president Dunstan Mlambo.
Also on Monday, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis will officially hand over the city hall to parliament’s presiding officers. The hand-over follows a decision by the presiding officers to use the city hall as an alternative venue for hosting the state of the nation address. Earlier in January a devastating fire destroyed parliamentary buildings, including the National Assembly and sections of the old Assembly chamber. After the hand-over, the city hall will be declared part of the parliamentary precinct.
Parliament’s public finance watchdog, the standing committee on public accounts, will on Tuesday receive an update from the presidency on all the reports referred by the Special Investigating Unit on how they have been processed.
On the same day, finance minister Enoch Godongwana will brief parliament’s standing committee on finance on the R11bn World Bank loan, whether it was warranted and how much it will cost the country.
The World Bank recently approved SA’s request for a $750m low-interest loan aimed at supporting an economic recovery from Covid-19. The funds will be used to accelerate the response aimed at protecting the poor and vulnerable from the adverse socioeconomic effects of the pandemic, the Treasury said in a statement.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.