Author: The Bulrushes

The Special Tribunal on Wednesday ordered German multinational software corporation – Systems Applications Products (SAP) – to pay back more than R400 million to the Department of Water and Sanitation. Most of the money must be paid to the department within five days. Wednesday’s Special Tribunal order follows an intensive investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in the affairs of the department in its dealings with SAP. The investigations revealed that the department irregularly concluded software license and support agreements between 2015 and 2016 with SAP. Armed with evidence, the SIU confronted the department and SAP and pointed out…

South Africa’s Competition Commission (the Commission) has referred social media giant, Meta Platforms Inc – previously known as Facebook Inc – to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution over alleged “abuse of dominance”. The Commission said Monday it had asked the Tribunal to impose a maximum penalty against Meta Platforms, WhatsApp, and Facebook South Africa which is 10% of their collective turnover. Last month Meta said it expects first-quarter 2022 total revenue to be in the range of $27 – 29 billion, which represents 3 – 11% year-over-year growth. The Commission referral for prosecution also includes Meta Platforms Inc subsidiaries, WhatsApp Inc, and Facebook South…

Tasneem Moosa of Hello Darlings travel agency has surfaced from hiding to deny she ran away with millions of rand belonging to her clients and investors. The elusive Moosa spoke to GlowTV/Laudium Sun at the weekend from an undisclosed location. She said the only reason she went into hiding was that she had received death threats. “They said things like we will torture you and kill you in front of your children … what mother would accept that.” Moosa said she simply took her family to a place of safety. Asked why she shut down her social media, Moosa said that was to stop…

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday appointed Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as the next Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa with effect from 1 April 2022. “The president’s decision follows consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and leaders of parties in the National Assembly on four nominees for appointment as chief justice,” said the Presidency. In terms of the constitution, the chief justice is “the head of the judiciary and exercises responsibility over the establishment and monitoring of norms and standards for the exercise of the judicial functions of all courts”. With Justice Zondo assuming the position of…

Eskom on Thursday afternoon announced that it was lowering load-shedding to Stage 3, “due to some recovery in generation capacity over the past 24 hours”. “Load-shedding will be reduced to Stage 3 from 21:00 hours tonight until 08:00 on Friday,” said Eskom. The power utility said thereafter Stage 2 will be implemented until 05:00 on Monday. “The emergency generation reserves have sufficiently improved to permit a reduction in the Stage of load-shedding.” However, the power utility appealed “to all South Africans to continue helping us limit the impact of load-shedding by reducing the usage of electricity and to switch off…

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s application to revoke its judgment on her CR17 report, saying “no case has been made out for rescission”. Mkhwebane’s initial report on the CR17 campaign and adverse findings were taken on review, which the high court set aside on the grounds that the public protector had “reached an irrational and unlawful conclusion on the facts before her”. The Constitutional Court also upheld the finding. Mkhwebane then unsuccessfully applied for rescission of that decision to the Constitutional Court, which dismissed the matter with costs. In the findings that have been set…

Eskom on Wednesday morning ramped up load-shedding to Stage 4 amid failing generation equipment. “Due to further failures of generation units, Stage 4 load-shedding will be implemented from 09:00 today until 05:00 on Friday,” said Eskom. The power utility said it was ramping up load-shedding to “manage the emergency reserves”. Eskom implemented Stage 2 load-shedding on Monday. However, the power utility said Wednesday it was “with a great deal of disappointment that Eskom has to inform the public that further failures overnight of generation units has necessitated the implementation of Stage 4 load-shedding starting at 09:00 this morning”. Eskom said…

Eskom has announced that “due to multiple unit failures” Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented from tonight at 9 pm. The power utility said it had experienced multiple generating unit failures over the past 24 hours. Eskom said it “regrets to inform the public” that Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented between 21:00 tonight and 05:00 on Tuesday. “This will be repeated same time on Tuesday night until 05:00 on Wednesday,” said the power utility in a statement issued earlier Monday. “This load-shedding is required in order for Eskom to replenish the emergency generation reserves, which have been utilised significantly since…

Jack Bloom, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, said Monday that there had been another theft of copper pipes at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital (CMJH). Bloom said what was “most distressing” was that theft of the copper cables was delaying the re-opening of the casualty unit, which he said had been planned for 14 March. “Despite R40 million a year spent on hospital security, there has been theft of copper pipes, and more than 500 metres of electrical cable and new electrical distribution boards,” said Bloom. “This follows the theft last year of R30 million of copper…

Two men from Cameroon have been caught with a huge amount of stolen copper by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) undercover officers. BUST: Two suspects from Cameroon found with stolen copper cables The men were arrested on Saturday after they were found in possession of the stolen copper in Bramley, north of Johannesburg. Recounting events leading to the arrest, Xolani Fihla, JMPD spokesperson said acting on a tip-off, JMPD officers proceeded to corner 11th Road and 3rd Avenue in Bramley, where they observed the suspected property. “An unknown male opened the gate of the premises, officers approached him, identified themselves…