The Week That Was

Gerald Potash,

Hello again,
 

Cyril Ramaphosa’s court battle to halt the impeachment process that he faces began in the Cape Town High Court today and continues until tomorrow. His advocate put it to the Judges that his asking for a postponement will only mean delaying the impeachment enquiry by about 3 months and he doesn’t see any harm in that. The Constitutional Court found that the findings in 2022 of the Phala Phala matter that blocked an independent panel report was unconstitutional. Ramaphosa believes that the report is flawed and he wants it revues.  Parliament’s impeachment committee, under the chairmanship of Makashule Gana of the Rise Mzansi Party, believes that delaying the inquiry would frustrate Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to hold the President accountable.

When a cop, a top cop, OK the crime intellegence deputy-head in the SAPS has miIllions and millions of Rands worth of luxury properties and lives the life of Riley, with 30 motor vehicles isn’t it time to do a forensic lifestyle audit ? Police just don’t get paid well enough to be able to live that kind of lifestyle. The Madlanga Commission is tasked with looking into corruption in the police and more including looking at Parliament and it is doing a great job. Already 30 senior officials, police officers and heads of Departments have been arrested and there is more to come because the Commission has just received an extension to continue until the 2nd of October with a report to be given to Ramaphosa by the 16th of November.  Is that time enough to fulfil its vital work?

Maj.-Gen. Feroz Kahn, the Crime Intelligence boss, wanted by the Madlanga Commission to give evidence is in hospital having been shot in the stomach the day before he was due to appear before the Commission —there are some who think it is a set-up hit, arranged by himself to avoid having to appear—but, unusually, evidence of his possible corruption is being led at the Commission in his absence. Much of what has been learned has been retrieved from his phone and laptop, and much of that is totally damning.

The head of IDAC (Independent Directorate Against Corruption) Adv Andrea Johnson was due to give evidence before the Madlanga Commission on Monday. But she is also in hospital. Retired Judge Madlanga expressed extreme dissatisfaction at the “useless sick note” presented indicating that she could not be available for questioning on Monday.  Is her sudden illness due to the evidence given by two witnesses linking her to the shielding of Feroz Kahn in a matter highlighted before the Commission?

The repeated failure of key witnesses to appear before the Commission is becoming a matter of serious concern says Tebogo Khaas of the Public Interest SA criminal justice advocacy group. Johnson is the fourth such witness. This is a cartoon from Brandan in Business Day newspaper:

It is also interesting to note that Julius Malema is being mentioned at the Madlanga Commission.  There is reason to believe that confidential information was shared between Kahn, Malema and businessman Mohammed Sayed. Malema has denied any wrongdoing. He always does. But evidence leader, Mathew Chaskalson SC at the Commission has presented evidence and explained why certain witnesses, including Malema, should be called to give evidence about his links to Kahn.

This is the cartoon from Brandan in Business Day that again gets our news dead-right and hopefully some will stick:

Undocumented foreigners are still in the news. On Thursdays, ‘March and March’, the volunteer group of agitators gather to protest where ever they can. What made news last week is that our Minister of Justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi is blaming Israel for fuelling the anti-migrant sentiment. She offered not a shred of evidence for her outrageous statement. David Lewis, writing in today’s Business Day says that 150,000 migrants have either been deported or left this country. The Zimbabwean Government have let if be known that 100,000 of their citizens have returned to Zimbabwe in the last three months. Then it seems that about 53,000 thousand immigrants have returned to (poverty in) their home countries during these last two weeks to avoid the threats from the groups like ‘March & March’ and more foreigners are cueing at the repatriation centres waiting to leave SA. 

What is now apparent is that African countries are now “isolating SA”, this from our Minister in the Presidency yesterday.

Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership SA, is quoted in yesterday’s Business Day newspaper saying: ‘We have finally come to the brink of the widespread municipal collapse……..(which) directly reflects a failure of leadership and accountability.’ What else can one say about the ANC?

The situation in SA is depressing and it is the reality of where we find ourselves after more than 30 years of ANC leadership.

The editorial in Business Day today refers to the Treasury withholding funds (R13.6 billion) from 69 municipalities for the gross mismanagement of their financial affairs. The Treasury has repeatedly tried to assist these municipalities but to no avail. Now……… the residents suffer.

Fortunately there are some bright spots in our news, and we in the Western Cape enjoy most of them in our bubble. 

The most beautiful airport in the world, according to Forbes is not in the Western Cape but in the Kruger National Park. It is the small Skukuza Airport with direct connections to Cape Town and Johannesburg and handles lots of private flights too.

Paul Hoffman shared an article by John Endres in The Daily Friend where he says  ‘Why I am more bullish on SA than Britain. He recently visited the UK again and came back with a conviction that we have a more direct route to improvement than England.

You can read his letter, if you wish by clicking on this link:

M3.6 million tourists arrived in SA between January and May this year. That is a record. 

Cape Town has passed plans for a huge data centre on the land of the old King David Golf Course near the CT airport. It has been opposed by the Housing Assembly and Foxglove Group, who say not enough detail has been supplied with regard to electricity, water usage and air-pollution & emissions.   

Most of the press are raving about the “indestructible Springboks”. Yes, I know Rassie is experimenting but there were several gaps in our play against Scotland. The game was super exciting delivering 10 tries. At times the Scots broke through our backline defence too easily and that’s worrying. In the end I think the winning margin (42-28) rather flattered the Springboks, albeit the 2nd (or 3rd) Springboks team.

This Saturday we play Wales in Durban and four youngsters have been given their first Springbok outings. Rassie is still very much up to his old tricks of experimenting but he knows what he is doing. 

As always,                                                                               

Gerald