Global Citizen
Flash Briefing: New contenders emerge in cabinet reshuffle; Zuma refuses virtual hearing; Eskom
New names have emerged as candidates for the cabinet as President Cyril Ramaphosa continues consultations to shore up his executive.
- New names have emerged as candidates for the cabinet as President Cyril Ramaphosa continues consultations to shore up his executive. According to Business Day, the matter was discussed but not finalised by the ANC top leadership on Monday but the tripartite alliance, which includes Cosatu and the SA Communist Party, has not yet been consulted. Staff in the presidency have said that some ministers have been asked to prepare handover reports. Among the names being considered is former deputy finance minister Mondli Gungubele as minister in the presidency, and Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba and deputy health minister Joe Phaahla for the health portfolio. While there is a push from within the government for Phaahla to take over the health department, Ramathuba has surpassed expectations in terms of the rollout of vaccines in Limpopo. Gungubele is an ANC veteran with the close confidence of Ramaphosa.
- Eskom said it's seeking to appoint advisors on how to restructure itself into three separate units, a reorganisation that was proposed to let it better deal with an untenable debt burden. The separation of the Johannesburg-based company into transmission, generation and distribution units was first raised by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa more than two years ago. The company has since reduced its liabilities but is still struggling to manage almost R400bn in debt, and has subjected the country to intermittent power cuts since 2005. The so-called request for proposals is in addition to an earlier notice seeking advisors on how to fund the closing and re-purposing of a number of the company's coal-fired power stations into sites that could generate electricity from natural gas or renewable sources.
- The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has raised alarm about former president Jacob Zuma's latest bid for a corruption trial acquittal being heard in court, weeks after his imprisonment for contempt of court was followed by unrest that left hundreds of people dead and cost billions of rands in damage. The former President's lawyers have however told the Pietermaritzburg High Court that he refuses to consent to what they contend would be an "unconstitutional and illegal" virtual hearing of his special plea application. The NPA says there is no reason to risk security or Covid-19 infection by holding the hearing in person, but says the case must go on, no matter what, in person or not. Zuma's special plea is for the entire case to be dropped and for him to be acquitted of all charges because he claims the NPA is biased against him.