Nene categorically  denies allegations by the  far-left Economic Freedom Fighters that he used his relationship with the Guptas to enrich his son and wife.

Nhlanhla Nene is the first South African Cabinet member to appear before the commission of inquiry into state capture headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

He says as deputy finance minister  he was invited four times to the home of the wealthy Indian family accused of have an improperly close relationship with former president Jacob Zuma.

Nene corroborated the evidence delivered last month by his deputy Mcebisi Jonas that he has been offered a bribe and  the job of finance minister by the Guptas if he did their bidding.

Nene says things turned sour with Zuma when he refused to approve the purchase of a nuclear power plant from Russia that he believed South Africa did not require and could not afford.

The Gupta brothers owned a uranium mine and wanted to supply the nuclear plant with the strategic mineral.

The post Nhlanhla Nene says Jacob Zuma sacked him because he refused to toe the line appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Many of the thousands of supporters who came to head him at the Buffalo City stadium in East London booed President Jacob Zuma when he arrived with his guest Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ramaphosa says corruption in state-owned enterprises undermines government efforts to address poverty and unemployment.

It weakens key institutions and discourages investment.

It also contributes to division in the ANC and its alliance partners.

He says he’ll systematically fight corruption in both the public and private sectors.

He vows to expose it and bring perpetrators to book.

Rooting out state capture, which features prominently  in President Jacob Zuma’s  government, is a top priority.

Ramaphosa welcomes the commission of inquiry into state capture called by Zuma last week.

He say he’ll rekindle the late Nelson Mandela’s vision of a non racial democratic society in South Africa.

To achieve this, party unity is vital, he says.

The ANC has to alter its culture accepting that the divisions caused by bitterly contested elections for the new leadership are now a thing of the past.

He did not speak about calls to remove Zuma as president, which  is seen as vital for restoring investor confidence in South Africa

The post Ramaphosa vows to crack down on corruption appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The judges ruled that the South African President must pay personally pay the legal cost of his failed application to have the ombudsman’s ruling for a commission of inquiry into state capture set aside

They further ordered that Zuma is too conflicted to name the members of that commission himself

This is a further indication of power draining away from President Jacob Zuma. as the ruling African National Congress prepares to meet this week to elect his successor.

Party spokesman Zizi Khodwa welcomes the High Court ruling, saying an inquiry into state capture is in the country’s best interest.

Khodwa says Zuma must implement the court ruling without delay

Judge President Dunstan Mlambo says Zuma has 30 days to call for a commission of inquiry into state capture as instructed  by the then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela

The commission members must be named by the Chief Justice.

Madonsela welcomes the ruling, saying it gives Zuma pause.

Mlambo declared Zuma was ill advised and reckless to seek a review of her recommendation

He cannot continue wasting taxpayer’s money on vexatious legal challenges.

She says delaying the  commission of inquiry is  making a cold case of a very worrying phenomenon.

Evidence was disappearing every day.

The post Double legal trouble for President Jacob Zuma appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The workers say they will lose their jobs at the end of May if  bank accounts of the company owned by the wealthy Indian Gupta family remain closed.

ends intro

The staff, who say they number 7,500,  insist in an open letter to South Africa’s four major banks that they’ve done nothing wrong.

They’re not wealthy or politically connected and they certainly have not engaged in state capture.

The letter follows appointment of a world-renowned public relations company Bell Pottinger by Oakbay chief executive Nazeem Howa who’s failed to secure a meeting with the banks.

They cut ties with Oakbay earlier this month in the political heat generated by mounting allegations that the Gupta family improperly tried to make appointments to the South African Cabinet.

The Guptas elevated Zuma’s son Duduzane to a directorship of Oakbay.

Duduzane’s resigned from that post. The Guptas have also quit as directors of Oakbay and left the country.

The staff say they don’t  know if any of the allegations against the Gupta family or Oakbay’s management are true. They don’t care.

They simply want to  provide for their families.

They say they’ve been told by Howa that if Oakbay’s bank accounts are not reopend, they cannot be paid and Oakbay cannot pay its bills.

The post Oakbay employees urge banks to re-engage appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.