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

Making headlines: SA's troubled parastatals to be placed under curatorship and receive billions in State funding; Court hears that Mkhwebane ignored Gordhan's efforts to respond to her findings on the rogue unit report; And, State capture inquiry hears of illegal contract for Vrede diary beneficiaries

 

SA's troubled parastatals to be placed under curatorship and receive billions in State funding

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is making good on his promise that cash-strapped State-owned companies receiving bailouts from government would be placed under curatorship, announcing on Tuesday that chief restructuring officers would be appointed within 48 hours for Eskom, Denel, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and South African Airways (SAA).

Mboweni tabled a special appropriation Bill in the National Assembly, making available R59-billion to Eskom over the next two years, but said that this would go hand in hand with a chief restructuring officer being appointed later in the day. 

Chief restructuring officers would also be announced for state arms manufacturer Denel, the SABC and SAA on Wednesday. 

 

Court hears that Mkhwebane ignored Gordhan's efforts to respond to her findings on the rogue unit report

The North Gauteng High Court has heard that Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane ignored Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan's offer to respond to adverse findings against him in the so-called "rogue unit" probe.

Gordhan's legal representative, Advocate Wim Trengove, argued on Tuesday that Mkhwebane has a reputation of not giving some parties implicated in her investigations a chance to respond before finalising her probes and making adverse findings. 

Trengove added that this includes not only Gordhan, it also includes the President, the Minister of Police, and the National Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gordhan lodged an urgent application to suspend and interdict the remedial orders by the Public Protector, citing "improper motives" on her part.

This follows Mkhwebane’s recent devastating findings against Gordhan in relation to his role in the establishment of a so-called rogue spying unit at the South African Revenue Service when he was Commissioner.  

 

And, State capture inquiry hears of illegal contract for Vrede diary beneficiaries

The State capture commission of inquiry on Tuesday heard how an illegal agreement drafted by the Free State department of agriculture questionably listed beneficiaries for the botched Vrede dairy farm project and contained clauses that did not fit with the nature of project.

Albertus Venter, a deputy director-general of corporate administration and coordination in the provincial premier's office, took the stand for the second day, detailing agreements and contracts on the dairy project that saw intended emerging black farmers ignored and more than R200-million allegedly looted by officials and the fugitive Gupta family.

Venter said he was presented with the signed dodgy contract between the department and beneficiaries by the chief director for district services Dr Takisi Masiteng in 2013.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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