Author: The Bulrushes
Former 702 radio presenter Eusebius McKaiser has died of a suspected epileptic seizure. Indications are that he died in his home. He was 44. “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of renowned journalist and former 702 presenter Eusebius McKaiser,” radio station 702 said Tuesday afternoon in a post on Twitter. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace. #RIPEusebiusMcKaiser. TimesLive, where McKaiser was a columnist, is reporting that he died of a suspected epileptic seizure. TimesLive said Jackie Strydom, the manager of the celebrated analyst, broadcaster, and author said McKaiser died on…
South Africa Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is travelling to Russia to attend the International Meeting of High-level officials responsible for Security Matters. The meeting begins on Tuesday, (23 May 2023), and ends on Thursday,(25 May 2023). “This annual meeting will discuss general trends in the international security situation, including global food security,” the Presidency said on Monday. “Furthermore, Minister Ntshavheni will engage with relevant authorities on matters material to the initiatives announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the African Leaders’ Peace Mission to Russia and Ukraine. “In addition, the Minister has sent a team of high-level officials to…
Susan van Aswegen, the wife of attorney and businessman Henk Gerhandus van Aswegen from Melkbosstrand in Cape Town, claims the fraud matter against her husband has been “withdrawn”. Back in August 2021, The Bulrushes published a story about how the 55-year-old Van Aswegen was arrested and brought before the court in Limpopo accused of fraud involving more than R1 million. Van Aswegen appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering. It was alleged that GP Smith Letting Close Corporation (CC) went into a joint venture with Van Aswegen Property Developers CC. Later, a dispute arose between the…
A ruling made this week by the full bench of the South Gauteng High Court in a tender dispute has saved taxpayers R71.4 million. At the core of the dispute was the awarding of the three-year multimillion-rand contract to IN2IT by SITA on 22 January 2021. Dissatisfied by the decision, Gijima launched an application in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg (the court a quo). The ruling this week on Monday was in favour of multinational In2IT technologies in this long-running dispute over a South African Police Service tender for the maintenance and support of PBX systems. The relief…
The Investigating Directorate on Tuesday announced that it lodged an application to appeal acting Judge Gusha’s judgment on the R24.9 million Gupta-linked Nulane matter, in which all accused persons were acquitted. The application was lodged on Monday, (8 May 2023), if successful it can either be heard by a full bench of the Bloemfontein High Court or the Supreme Court of Appeal. The application is for leave to appeal the 21 April 2023 judgment that granted seven accused discharge in terms of Section 174 the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977(Act). Dr. Limakatso Moorosi was also acquitted. The application is…
Queues have formed outside some Checkers Hyper Stores, where customers are desperate to get their hands on the new energy drink PRIME. Sales of PRIME began on Monday, Workers’ Day holiday, at selected Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores and on Sixty60 in the Western Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal. The popular energy drink will be rolled out to the rest of South Africa during the month and is retailing for R39.99. PRIME is a range of sports and energy beverages created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. After YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI promoted the range following its release in 2022,…
In order for “Health for All” to become a reality, access to safe, timely, and affordable surgery and ongoing surgical education must become a priority in Africa, writes Dr. Juliette Tuakli, Mercy Ships (www.MercyShips.org) Diplomatic Ambassador for Africa. We celebrate World Health Day on Friday, (7 April 2023) and I thought it is a good time to reflect on what “Health for All” means on the African continent. In 2015 and 2017, the World Health Assembly (WHA) passed Resolution 68.15 (https://apo-opa.info/3ZJUuUf), and decision 70(22) (https://apo-opa.info/4387vtl) respectively. Resolutions which recognised surgical and anaesthesia care as essential for universal health coverage and…
The SA Ministry of Finance has placed Habib Overseas Bank Limited (Habib Overseas Bank) under curatorship owing to governance, compliance, and operational failures. Announcing the move on Monday, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) said the minister of finance acted on recommendations “to deal with its governance, compliance and operational failures”. The recommendations were made by the Prudential Authority (PA) at the SARB. SARB said over the past four years, the PA had intensified its supervision of Habib Overseas Bank because of identified weaknesses in the bank’s governance process, and its internal control environment as well as the various investigations…
Eighty-year-old retired businessman Robert Jeffrey has graduated with a Ph.D. Henry Ford’s famous quote “Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young” rings true for the octogenarian graduate. INSPIRATION: Jeffrey at his graduation ceremony The accomplished scholar and retired businessman took to the stage at the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Kingsway Campus auditorium on Thursday, 23 March 2023 to receive his Ph.D. in Engineering Management. Accompanied by his family, Jeffrey said he was nervous and excited at the same time. He received a standing ovation from the audience present as he…
Mother and son Eskom fraud accused 71-year-old Rabela Sara Jones and 46-year-old Godfrey Jason Jones have appeared before the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court. The mother and son pair appeared in court on Wednesday, (22 March 2023), alongside another accused, 42-year-old Thandeka Innocentia Nkosi, a former Eskom senior buyer at Arnot Power Station. All the accused were arrested last week on Wednesday, (15 March 2023), by the Hawks’ Middelburg-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team assisted by Eskom forensic Iinvestigators. The arrested trio face charges of theft, fraud and money laundering involving R14,7 million. Allegations are that Eskom advertised a tender for supply and delivery…
A South African Anti-Money Laundering Integrated Task Force (SAMLIT) research report reveals how modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) globally generates billions of rand every year. The SAMLIT report titled “Follow the Money”, released on 10 March 2023 shows that South Africa has the highest number of reported cases, when compared to other southern African countries. The report, which was the brainchild of and chaired by Standard Chartered Bank in South Africa, focuses on financial flows and key indicators in the detection of financial transactions and behaviours related to MSHT in South Africa, thereby helping the banking sector to assist…
A Home Affairs Department on Wednesday announced that the director who tried to facilitate the unlawful processing of permits for Gupta associate Ashu Chawla has been fired. Major Kobese, the Home Affairs Director for Appeals, was found guilty on three counts of gross misconduct in the execution of his duties in a disciplinary hearing that lasted five months. Kobese unsuccessfully facilitated the undue processing of permits for Chawla and others in Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, which they did not qualify for. The first allegation involved him having exerted pressure on the officials of the Department to process and…
Police have been out in numbers dispersing protestors in Braamfontein, where arrests have been made. Police Minister General Bheki Cele said early morning Monday that 57 people were arrested and thousands of used tyres recovered before they could be set alight. The protests on the eve the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) “national shutdown” planned for Monday, (20 March 202), involved large crowds gathered in the streets, where tyres were set alight. Other organisations including the African Transformation Movement and South African Federation of Trade Unions have announced they will be joining the EFF protests to demand the end of load-shedding, the…
Two businessmen 38-year-old Kishene Chetty, 43-year-old Harry Milanzi and Outsurance employee Ravin Ramlall – all linked to a R13.9 million-fraud and tax evasion matter have appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. The accused Chetty, Milanzi and Ramlall, who facilitated the submissions of the tax returns face 18 counts of fraud, one count of misrepresenting the broad-based black economic empowerment status of an enterprise and five counts of tax evasion. The court on Thursday heard that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) suffered actual prejudice for R 13 942 216. The crimes were allegedly committed during the 2015 to 2021 periods of…
Eskom on Thursday said there have been “notable gradual improvements” in the performance of its power generation fleet. “Over the past week, six coal-fired power stations achieved an energy availability factor (EAF) of 70%, a milestone last achieved on 8 May 2022,” Eskom said. “Three of these power stations, Camden, Duvha, and Matla, have been on a sustained upward trend as a result of a reduction of plant breakdowns and the return to service of a number of units that were on unplanned breakdowns.” The power utility said Lethabo, Matimba, and Medupi have been experiencing continued good performance and remain among…
Eskom has announced the gradual reduction of load-shedding to Stage 1 on Sunday. “Load-shedding will be reduced from Stage 4 to Stage 3 over the weekend with Stage 1 load-shedding forecasted for Sunday morning,” Eskom said in a power alert on Friday afternoon. The power utility further explained that: “Stage 4 load-shedding will continue to be implemented until 05:00 tomorrow. “Thereafter, Stage 3 load-shedding will be implemented from Saturday 05:00 until 05:00 on Sunday. “Stage 1 load-shedding will then be implemented until 16:00 on Sunday and then revert to Stage 3 load-shedding.” Over the past 24 hours, a generating unit…
The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) case to set aside its investment in Ayo Technologies Limited (Ayo) and recover R4.3 billion, started in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday, (7 March 2023). This investment occurred through the PIC’s participation in the Ayo initial public offering (IPO) through a private placement in December 2017. Through this investment, on behalf of its biggest client, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the PIC acquired a 29% shareholding in Ayo. In the Ayo litigation, the PIC said it intends to pursue its claim vigorously. Through its legal representatives, the PIC said it will present…
The Labour Court has granted the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) leave to enforce the interdict of the public service workers’ strike. However, the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) on Monday said it has launched an appeal at the Labour Appeal Court (LAC). The union insists the strike was going ahead. NEHAWU added: “Having launched an appeal of today’s judgment, the national union will be forging ahead with the Public Service Strike until a determination is made on our appeal at the LAC. “As NEHAWU, we remain resolute that no amount of court intimidation by the…
Eskom, which has been implementing Stage 6 load-shedding, on Wednesday announced that it has parted ways with its Group Chief Executive Andrè de Ruyter with “immediate effect”. De Ruyter resigned in December 2022 and had been expected to leave the power utility at the end of March. Eskom said a special Board meeting was held earlier on Wednesday, (22 February 2023) during which it was resolved to release De Ruyter. “The Eskom Board and Group Chief Executive (GCE) Andrè de Ruyter have reached a mutual agreement to curtail his notice period to 28 February 2023,” said the communique from the…
By Busi Mavuso, No matter what largesse Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocates in Wednesday’s budget to address SA’s numerous ailments, unless there’s a massive improvement in government’s ability to implement policy and spend the funds effectively, I fear much of it may not achieve its intent. A glance at the unfortunate states of our public health and education systems shows that often it is not lack of money but inappropriately capacitated departments, misgovernance and, sadly, corruption that causes the problems. SA spends 20.3% of GDP on health care and 12.3% on education – far more than most emerging markets and…
Struggling Eskom on Sunday said owing to the breakdown of eight generation units Stage 6 load-shedding was continuing “until further notice”. “Since Sunday afternoon a generating unit each at Arnot, Hendrina, Lethabo and Majuba, as well as two units at Camden Power Station have suffered breakdowns and were taken offline for repairs,” Eskom said. “Further, two generating units at the Lethabo Power Station were shut down due to coal constraints as the New Vaal Mine that is supplying the station has been unable to deliver the expected amount of coal during the past week because of the heavy rains.” The…
Construction of a 900 MW Mpumalanga wind farm, South Africa’s largest of its kind, is about to start in the heart of the country’s coal industry, reports Construction Review Online. The project will begin with the implementation of its first phase which has a proposed capacity of 155 MW. This is after Seriti Green and Seriti Resources signed a power purchase agreement for this phase. The PPA has a 20-year underpin. The first phase of the 900 MW Mpumalanga wind farm which spans around 27 000 ha of farmland, will come online in 2025. Over the next three years, construction on…
Al Jama-ah Councillor Thapelo Amad, who was backed by the African National Congress, has been elected as the new mayor of Johannesburg. Amad scored 138 votes, Dr. Phalatse 81, Ngobeni 46 and there was one spoiled vote. A total of 266 votes were counted. Amad was elected Friday afternoon ahead of the ousted mayor, Dr. Mpho Phalatse of the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni. Incredibly, Dr. Phalatse contested the election to be mayor of Johannesburg a day after she was removed from the position through a no-confidence vote. The secret ballot elections were run by the IEC. OBSERVING: Ballots…
Air Liquide and Sasol have signed two Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with Enel Green Power for the long-term supply of 220 MW of renewable power to Sasol’s Secunda site, in South Africa. Air Liquide operates the biggest oxygen production site in the world at Sasol’s Secunda. These PPAs are the first results of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process launched jointly by Air Liquide and Sasol in April 2021, for the procurement of a total capacity of 900 MW of renewable energy. They will significantly contribute to the decarbonization of the Secunda site, and in particular to the targeted reduction by…
An ailing former senior accountant at Impala Platinum Ltd (Implats) in the North West has been given a suspended sentence after she was convicted of stealing as much as R850 000 from the company. The Specialised Commercial Crime Court, sitting in Tlhabane, convicted 56-year-old Hlengiwe Masilela of 24 counts of fraud and 23 of money laundering committed at Implats. The court sentenced the ailing fraudster to five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years. The National Prosecutions Authority on Wednesday said the court took into consideration Masilela’s poor state of health – she is on 24-hour oxygen support. Senior accountant…