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

Making headlines: Zondo commission serves new summons on Zuma; Mabuza says government funding for SAA business rescue will not hurt other services; And, Cape chamber says plans to amend SA’s land tenure law another attack on private property rights

Zondo commission serves new summons on Zuma

The Zondo commission has served a new summons on former South African president Jacob Zuma after he flouted the first and now expects him to appear before the commission next January.

The summons was served on Zuma this week at his home in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal, compelling him to testify before the commission from January 18 to 22.

The commission is resorting to every legal means possible to force Zuma to answer questions on a raft of rent-seeking scandals that tainted his nine years in office.

It has instructed a senior advocate to prepare papers as it seeks a Constitutional Court order obliging him to respect the latest summons. If it succeeds in this bid, Zuma would find himself in contempt of court and face arrest if he failed to appear in January.

Mabuza says government funding for SAA business rescue will not hurt other services

Deputy President David Mabuza says government will do all it can to minimise any adverse impact that the re-prioritisation of budget allocations to free up R10.5-billion towards national carrier South African Airways’s business rescue might have on other services.

Mabuza said when Cabinet approved the support of R10.5-billion allocation to SAA, the state of the country’s finances were appreciated, adding that the delivery of social and other services, and investing in the country’s state owned enterprises “should not be seen as mutually exclusive”.

He explained that funding of SAA should be understood in line with preserving strategic and catalytic state instruments for transformation, growth, development, service delivery and employment creation.

And, Cape chamber says plans to amend SA’s land tenure law another attack on private property rights

The proposed amendment to South Africa’s Upgrading of Land Tenure Rights Act is a clear attempt to “bamboozle” the homeless out of their ability to own property, the Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry said.

If passed, it will inevitably trigger a Constitutional Court challenge, Cape Chamber president Janine Myburgh said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Parliament’s portfolio committee on agriculture, land reform and rural development adopted a report on the bill, which intends to amend the 1991 act to provide for the application for the conversion of land tenure rights into ownership.

It also provides for a notice informing interested people of an application to convert land tenure rights into ownership, and to provide an opportunity for interested people to object to the conversion of land tenure rights into ownership.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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