Making headlines: MPs to discuss report of potential liars during SABC inquiry; Kenyan court asks for scrutiny of electronic vote-count systems; And, Kathrada Foundation asks ANC to support racism complaint against Rajesh Gupta

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

MPs to discuss report of potential liars during SABC inquiry

Members of Parliament are today expected to tackle a report naming people, including cabinet minister Faith Muthambi, who may have lied in a parliamentary probe into the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The report compiled by Parliament’s Legal Services Unit identifying the five people stems from the inquiry of an ad hoc committee established last year to look into the affairs of the SABC. That inquiry highlighted mismanagement, a culture of non-compliance with laws and political interference.

The report was submitted to Speaker Baleke Mbete who last week referred it to the portfolio committee on communications.

The report outlines how Muthambi, in her former portfolio as Communications Minister, may have misled the committee when she denied putting pressure on then board members to appoint her friend, the ever controversial Hlaudi Motsoeneng, as SABC chief operating officer.

Kenyan court asks for scrutiny of electronic vote-count systems

Kenya's Supreme Court ordered the election commission yesterday to allow the opposition, which is disputing the results of this month's presidential vote, to have access to its computer servers and electronic devices used in the vote-count.

Election authorities say Uhuru Kenyatta won a second term in the August 8 polls by 1.4-million votes. A parallel tally by independent monitors based on a sample of around 2 000 polling stations produced a similar result.

There were scattered protests in strongholds of opposition leader Raila Odinga. At least 28 people were killed in election-related violence, many of them shot by police, after results were announced.

The protests, which dissipated within days had raised fears that political violence could again destabilise the region's biggest economy, as it did following a disputed election in 2007.

Odinga's opposition coalition said in its court petition that results from more than one third of polling stations are "fatally flawed".

And, Kathrada Foundation asks ANC to support racism complaint against Rajesh Gupta

The ANC has been asked to support a complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission against Rajesh "Tony" Gupta, for alleged racist remarks he made to security guards, it emerged yesterday.

Gupta had allegedly called the guards at his Saxonwold compound "monkeys" in 2012, after they apparently did not respond when he called them.

This alleged incident emerged in a complaint from a Sahara employee to G4S Security about one of the guards. The Guptas are the owners of Sahara Computers.

The letter of complaint forms part of hundreds of emails leaked from the Gupta family, and which City Press has obtained.

At the time, Gupta lawyer Gert van der Merwe rejected the accusations contained in the leaked emails. He said the Guptas were advised to lay criminal charges against the media houses reporting on them.

Now, Lawyers for Human Rights and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation are appealing to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe to join them in their complaint to the SA Human Rights Commission. Alternatively, the party could choose to be the sole complainant.

 

To keep in touch with the news while you are on the move, visit m.polity.org.za

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today