May, 23 2017.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines:
Zuma refuses to answer questions on Nkandla tax and 'intelligence report'
ANC asks Public Protector to probe DA 'birthday party' funding
And, 1.8-million hectares of land transferred to communal trusts since 1994

 

President Jacob Zuma has refused to answer a question on whether he paid fringe benefit tax on the non-security related upgrades to his homestead in Nkandla, and whether the so-called "intelligence report" had anything to do with Pravin Gordhan's removal as finance minister.

"The issue of tax is a confidential matter between the South African Revenue Services and the taxpayer," reads his full written reply to a parliamentary question on the matter posed by DA leader Mmusi Maimane.

After a damning ruling by the Constitutional Court in 2016, Zuma had to pay R7.8-million for the swimming pool, the chicken run, kraal, amphitheatre and visitor's centre.

According to the DA's calculations, Zuma should pay fringe benefit tax amounting to almost R64-million for the Nkandla upgrades.

 

The ANC in the Western Cape has asked Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to probe the funding of two Western Cape MECs' birthday parties.

The party in the province said it laid two separate complaints yesterday for what it deemed "seemingly illegal and irregular contributions" made toward the birthday parties of MECs Bonginkosi Madikizela and Nomafrench Mbombo.

Madikizela is MEC for Human Settlements and also acting Democratic Alliance leader in the province, while Mbombo is MEC for Health.

ANC Western Cape secretary general Faiez Jacobs said that it is unclear at the moment if these were the only two provincial ministers who accepted donations from service providers and contractors for birthday parties or celebrations and it is only an independent investigation by a credible and independent constitutional institution that can provide the necessary answers.

 

Almost 2-million hectares of land have been transferred to communal property associations and trusts since 1994, Land and Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti has revealed.

In a Parliamentary reply yesterday Nkwinti said that 1 809 856 hectares have been transferred nationwide in post-democratic South Africa, with the biggest transfers taking place in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng however recorded miniscule transferrals relative to the other provinces.

 

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