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

Making headlines: Zim ConCourt to hear opposition election challenge on August 22; Zondo turns down DA’s request for witness access in State Capture inquiry; And, AMCU says 'no' to job cuts in SA mining industry

 

Zim ConCourt to hear opposition election challenge on August 22

Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court announced yesterday that it will hear arguments in an application by opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to challenge the Presidential election results on August 22. 

Chamisa narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa but Chamisa's party alleges "gross mathematical errors". It seeks a fresh election or a declaration of Chamisa as the winner of the July 30 vote.

Mnangagwa's lawyers and the electoral commission have filed papers saying the case should be thrown out, claiming the opposition filed its challenge too late.

The court has 14 days from Friday's filing to rule. Mnangagwa’s inauguration is on hold until then.

 

Zondo turns down DA’s request for witness access in State Capture inquiry

Deputy Judge President Raymond Zondo, who is heading the commission of inquiry into State capture, corruption and fraud in the public sector, last night declined the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) request for special access to witnesses in the upcoming probe.

Zondo said that while much of what the DA had asked for was allowed in the normal workings of the commission, the party also wanted the right to examine witnesses, which he could not allow.

He said the party’s request to make written and oral arguments at the conclusion of the commission had been denied, for now, but that they could resubmit this particular request at a later stage.

The DA had argued that because it was one of the complainants to the Office of the Public Protector in the State of Capture Report, released in November 2016, and that had former President Jacob Zuma brought a review application before a high court of the report, it was an interested party. The party should thus have the right to examine witnesses at the commission, it said.

 

And, AMCU says 'no' to job cuts in SA mining industry

Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) president Joseph Mathunjwa yesterday said the union will not allow planned job losses in the platinum belt to proceed.

Speaking at a commemoration event of the 34 mineworkers shot and killed by police on August 16, 2012, in Marikana, near Rustenburg, Mathunjwa told the widows that the union will be with them until the very end. He said that the actions to kill the miners six years ago were politically motivated.

He described the events as a "blood thirsty" action by political leaders as a way to appease foreign investors.

He said the union was ready for any mining company aiming to retrench its employees.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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