Daily Podcast – August 03, 2018

3rd August 2018 By: Thabi Shomolekae - Creamer Media Senior Writer

Daily Podcast – August 03, 2018

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa
Photo by: Reuters

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: President Ramaphosa congratulates Mnangagwa on election Victory; Minister Sisulu says government will not appeal high court ruling on Grace; And, Numsa takes Eskom's latest wage offer back to members

 

President Ramaphosa congratulates Mnangagwa on election victory

President Cyril Ramaphosa today congratulated Emmerson Mnangagwa on his election as Zimbabwe President following elections held in the neighbouring country on Monday.

In a statement, the Presidency said Ramaphosa, who is also the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community, had called Mnangagwa to congratulate him and the people of Zimbabwe for "conducting a peaceful election as declared by the SADC Election Observation Mission and other election observer missions”.

Ramaphosa called on those who challenged the outcome of the vote, the first in Zimbabwe's post-Mugabe era, to do so through legal channels such as the constitution and electoral law.

He expressed concern about the loss of life in Zimbabwe this week following the elections when opposition protesters clashed with security forces in the capital.

 

Minister Sisulu says government will not appeal high court ruling on Grace

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu yesterday said the South African government will not be appealing a high court ruling which overturned the decision to extend diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's former first lady Grace Mugabe.

Sisulu told journalists at the media engagement session held in Pretoria that the government have studied the judgment and come to the conclusion that they will not appeal.

The Johannesburg High Court found the decision to give Mugabe immunity when she was accused of assaulting a young South African model in 2017, unlawful and unconstitutional.

The Democratic Alliance has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to sanction the then International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane for granting the diplomatic privilege in August last year to former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s wife.

The outspoken Grace Mugabe was granted immunity after Gabriella Engels accused her of beating her with an electrical cord in a hotel room in Johannesburg.

 

And, Numsa takes Eskom's latest wage offer back to members

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa today said that it would take the latest wage offer made by power utility Eskom to its members for ratification. 

This, as Numsa, together with other trade unions, met with the management team of Eskom yesterday under the auspices of the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration in a bid to finalise the protracted wage talks and settle the dispute. 

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said that Eskom had made a proposal which they have sent to their members for them to consider. 

Jim said if their members are happy with the latest proposal, then they can sign the agreement. Numsa have arranged general meetings at different plants all over the country over the next few days to discuss the proposal in detail with its members.

Eskom will be meeting again on Wednesday with the union to get their response to the offer. 

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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