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

Making headlines: Opposition slams Ramaphosa over undeclared Phala Phala cash; Trial of former mayor Zandile Gumede and co-accused starts in High Court; And, Western Cape legislature goes ahead with plan to increase its number of seats

Opposition slams Ramaphosa over undeclared Phala Phala cash

Opposition parties are up in arms over a South African Revenue Service finding that there is no record that Hazim Mustafa, the Sudanese businessman who paid $580 000 in cash to President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm, declared the money he had brought into the country in December 2019.

African Transformation Movement leader Vuyolwethu Zungula said the revelation showed "that the tax on the money that went into Mr Ramaphosa's coffers was not submitted or paid".

The EFF also noted Sars' response and said, "the revelations are damning” as is Mustafa’s claims that he declared the money at the OR Tambo International Airport.

Ramaphosa has maintained that the accusations against him are "without any merit".

Trial of former mayor Zandile Gumede and co-accused starts in High Court

The corruption trial of former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her 21 co-accused started today, almost two years after they were first charged.

Two of the accused, who could not be present in court for health reasons, were connected virtually.

Gumede appeared calm and collected in the dock, as she cracked jokes with her lawyer and co-accused.

The State kicked off the case by detailing the charges against each of the accused.

South African National Civic Organisation spokesperson Thulani Gamede said they were in court to support Gumede because they believed in her leadership.

And, Western Cape legislature goes ahead with plan to increase its number of seats

The Western Cape legislature is forging ahead with its plan to increase the number of legislative seats.

The provincial legislature's legal unit briefed the Standing Committee on the Premier and Constitutional Matters last week about amending the Western Cape Constitution to increase the number of seats in the legislature.

Currently, the legislature has 42 members representing the people of the Western Cape.

The unit has proposed an amendment to Section 13 of the provincial constitution. It wants the legislature to consist of one seat for every 100 000 residents of the province but not exceeding 80 seats.

"The number of seats of the Provincial Parliament must be determined in the manner provided for in its rules and orders," the legal unit said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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