Daily Podcast – June 17, 2020

17th June 2020 By: Sane Dhlamini - Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

Daily Podcast – June 17, 2020

IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Hawks arrest VBS ‘kingpin’ in early morning raid, Government says SAA business rescue plan might not be adequate and, Electoral Court grants IEC permission to postpone by-elections

 

Hawks arrest VBS ‘kingpin’ in early morning raid

Nearly two years after a R2-billion theft of VBS Mutual Bank funds was laid bare, several top VBS insiders, including board members and the chief KPMG auditor for the bank, have been arrested or are in the process of being apprehended in an early morning blitz.

It is reported that anti-corruption officers from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, together with a team of National Prosecuting Service prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority conducted a massive operation on Wednesday.

Included in those expected to be arrested is former VBS and Vele Investments chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi, the alleged kingpin of the theft of depositor’s funds from the bank.

 

Government says SAA business rescue plan might not be adequate

South Africa's government said it was concerned that a business rescue plan for troubled national carrier South African Airways published late on Tuesday might not be adequate.

The government placed financially strapped SAA under business rescue last December, but efforts to revive its fortunes have so far stuttered partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic which has hamstrung air travel globally.

The department of public enterprises said the government would support a proposal which resulted in a viable, sustainable and competitive airline that provided integrated domestic, regional and international flight services.

 

Electoral Court grants IEC permission to postpone by-elections

The Electoral Court has granted the Electoral Commission of South Africa permission to postpone by-elections in the country due to the continuous effects of the coronavirus.

This after the commission approached the court seeking a postponement.

Confirming the postponement, IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said as required in law, the municipal elections will be proclaimed by Cogta Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma after her consultations with the Electoral Commission.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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