Author: The Bulrushes
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…
The Office of the FAIS Ombud on Tuesday announced that it was now able to investigate any complaints in respect of crypto assets. The development comes after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) officially declared crypto assets as financial products On 19 October 2022, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) officially declared that crypto assets are now classified as financial products in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 37 of 2002 (FAIS Act). The Declaration was published in Government Notice 1350 in Government Gazette 47334. Crypto asset providers have until 30 November 2023 to apply for a…
Eskom on Friday commented for the first time on the much-criticised 18.6% tariff hike granted by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), saying it appreciates the “tough decision”. In a statement, released on “Friday the 13th”, the struggling power utility said the tariff hikes were expected to bring financial sustainability. Eskom said it “appreciates the tough decision made by NERSA for the FY2024 and FY2025 revenue determinations and recognises the pressures this determination will place on consumers”. The struggling power utility, which is implementing Stage 6 load-shedding, said it will apply the tariff adjustments to its customers from…
South Africans will have to pay more for electricity after the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on Thursday approved an 18.65% tariff hike for Eskom. The regulator granted Eskom the hike amid debilitating Stage 6 load-shedding imposed by the struggling power utility. Eskom had initially applied for a 32% tariff hike. NERSA said it considered various issues before it made the final decision on Eskom’s revenue application for the 2023/24 financial year. The regulator granted Eskom an 18.65% hike and 12.47% for the 2024/25 financial year. Nersa, Chairperson Thembani Bukula said changes to electricity prices were expected to…
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s court action to quash ex-president Jacob Zuma’s summons will be heard today, Thursday (12 January 2023), in the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Local Division, in Johannesburg. Zuma’s disputed summons ordered Ramaphosa to appear in person on 19 January 2023 to face charges that he was an “accessory after the fact”. The matter is in relation to private prosecution charges Zuma is pursuing against prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. Zuma alleges that Ramaphosa failed to act following an incident where the National Prosecuting Authority allegedly unlawfully leaked his medical records to the media.…
Struggling Eskom on Thursday ramped-up load-shedding to Stage 4. In a power alert, Eskom said: “Stage 4 load-shedding will be implemented from 16:00 this afternoon until 05:00 tomorrow morning, thereafter Stage 3 load-shedding will be implemented until Sunday morning”. The power utility added: “Thursday, 05 January 2023: Due to the delays in returning seven generating units to service, Stage 4 load-shedding will be implemented from 16:00 this afternoon until 05:00 tomorrow morning. “Thereafter Stage 3 load-shedding will be implemented until 16:00 on Friday. This pattern will be repeated until Sunday morning.” Eskom said the further delays in returning to service…
The South Africa National Department of Health announced on Sunday that it was closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation in China and other parts of the world. On Sunday, the department said, “there is no need for the public to panic”. The assurance came in the wake of more countries imposing travel restrictions on people coming from China. “We urge people to vaccinate and get booster shots to enhance their immunity against variants and sub-variants of the pandemic,” said Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the National Health Department. Mohale said the department will issue an alert if South Africa needs to take…
Travel restrictions are back again in the wake of the dreaded coronavirus virus resurgence in China. The U.S. on Wednesday became the latest country to impose new entry requirements that include a negative Covid-19 test for travellers from China. The U.S. move comes as China announces that – after almost three years of restrictions – it will let its citizens travel more easily from 8 January, next year. Late Wednesday, the U.S. joined Italy and other countries who are imposing strict requirements on people coming from China amid raising global concerns over possible mutations and a resurgence of the virus. Amid heavy international criticism…
The use of the Metaverse is expected to balloon in 2023 as tech firms seek to unlock new opportunities within this new interconnected and immersive digital world. Experts believe Metaverse will be revolutionary and fully transform the way we work, shop, socialise, and play. Metaverse refers to technologies that underpin a virtual reality-based internet such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality. Mark Zuckerberg, founder, and CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook) describes his vision of the Metaverse as a place to “connect, work, play, learn, and shop”. Zuckerberg says he anticipates Meta will contribute significantly to building…
The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) on Wednesday moved to clarify that the “nolle prosequi certificates” issued to former president Jacob Zuma in his private prosecution do not apply to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma’s lawyers have used nolle prosequi certificates for another matter to secure summons against Ramaphosa, whom they accuse of not acting on a complaint made by the former president. RELATED: State Attorney Says President Ramaphosa Must Ignore Zuma Summons – The Bulrushes The NPA on Wednesday said it “takes note of the media reports relating to the summons issued in respect of President Ramaphosa”. The NPA said it issued two nolle prosequi certificates in…
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) boss Teboho Maruping went undercover to check on how things were going at the Soshanguve office only to be asked by a female security guard to pay a bribe if he wanted his application processed speedily. UIF Commissioner Maruping on Thursday made the shocking revelation that “a private security guard requested a R400 bribe from him to expedite a benefit claim at the Soshanguve Labour Centre”. Maruping said he has since reported the matter to the South African Police Service (SAPS). The incident occurred earlier this week on Tuesday, (6 December 2022), when Maruping visited the…
The average tenure of a Chief Security Information Officer lasts between one and two years, far less than the six years a Chief Financial Officer or eight years a Chief Executive Officer typically spends at a company. This drastic difference is even more staggering when we add new data from the Ponemon Institute, which claims that around 65 percent of security professionals think about quitting due to burnout. The world of cybersecurity and its associated stresses have grown significantly since then, and headlines are again warning that digital security is among the most stressful and demanding roles in today’s organisations. “Cybersecurity officers…
The National Assembly Programming Committee (NAPC) has, during its urgent meeting convened on Monday evening, resolved to defer the consideration of the Section 89 Panel report. The three-member panel report released last week concluded that President Cyril Ramaphosa “may have” breached his oath of office and the constitution regarding allegations related to the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm. The matter, initially scheduled for today, (6 December 2022) will now be considered next week on Tuesday, (13 December 2022), at 14h00. “The 13 December meeting will be fully physical, with no provision for virtual participation,” Parliament…
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday filed papers in the Constitutional Court requesting that it hear his challenge of the adverse three-member panel report that suggested he may have breached his oath of office and the constitution. Members of the panel – retired chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, retired high court judge Thokozile Masipa, and advocate Mahlape Sello – as well as the Speaker of Parliament and Vuyolwethu Zungula are the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth respondents respectively. Zungula is the president of the African Transformation Movement, the party that brought the matter to Parliament, resulting in the formation of the…
Empire Partner Foundation together with African Technopreneurs are partnering in harnessing and investing in the next generation of Extended Reality (XR) technology creators in Africa. XR refers to an umbrella term used for Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality, as well as all future realities such technology might bring. Empire Partner Foundation will this weekend collaborate with African Technopreneurs in hosting an AR/VR Africa hackathon, seeking to develop extended reality (XR) solutions to societal challenges. Developers, programmers, UI/UX designers, artists, animators, storytellers, professionals, and students interested in participating in the hackathon can register for the opportunity to…
Lloyd Koketso Tshotlang – who stole more than six million rand from Sanlam clients when he was a senior administrator for the reputable financial services firm – has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The 34-year-old accused from Atteridgeville was sentenced in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court this week for theft of R6.1 million. Tshotlang was convicted of 16 counts of theft on 18 September 2022, for stealing from his former employer, Sanlam. Recounting events that led to Tshotlang’s arrest and conviction, Lumka Mahanjana, Gauteng NPA spokesperson, said the accused was employed in July 2019 at Sanlam as…
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s squeaky clean image took a knock Wednesday night after the three-member panel said there were possibly at least four instances in which he may have breached the constitution regarding the 2020 robbery at his Phala Phala farm. The panel led by retired former chief justice, Sandile Ngcobo, said in its report that Ramaphosa “may have” breached the constitution in several areas including taking on other paid work while still the President and cast aspersions on the source of the foreign currency that was stolen from his farm. The panel comprising – Ngcobo, retired judge Thokozile Masipa and…
All eyes on Wednesday will be on the three-member panel led by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo whose report into the Phala Phal farm alleged shenanigans will decide President Cyril Ramaphosa’s fate. The panel has been assessing whether Ramaphosa has a case to answer on constitutional grounds for the alleged theft of foreign currency at his Phala Phala farm nearly three years ago. The panel, which was granted a 13-day extension to conclude its work by 30 November, will hand over the report to the Speaker of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula at 10h00 Wednesday. President Ramaphosa, who was out of the country when the…
Jailed Polish national Janusz Waluś – the man who killed anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani nearly three decades ago – has been stabbed just days before his release on parole. In a terse communique on Tuesday, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said it can “confirm an unfortunate stabbing incident involving inmate Janusz Waluś. “A detailed incident report is to be provided at a later stage, but what can be stated at this point is that inmate Walus is stable and DCS healthcare officials are providing the necessary care,” said Singabakho Nxumalo, the DCS spokesperson. “It is alleged that Walus was…
The Supreme Court of Appeal SA (SCA) on Monday upheld an earlier high court ruling that set aside the decision to grant former president Jacob Zuma medical parole. In the judgement written by Judge Tati Makgoka, the SCA stressed that the effect of its order that Zuma had unlawfully been granted medical parole was that “Mr. Zuma, in law, has not finished serving his sentence”. However, the SCA has placed the onus on prison authorities to decide whether the time Zuma spent on unlawful medical parole should count as part of his 15-month contempt sentence. RELATED: Is Jacob Zuma Going Back…
The Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (SCA) is expected to deliver judgment today, (Monday 21 November 2022), on whether former president Jacob Zuma’s medical parole was granted properly. Zuma and the Correctional Services Department approached the SCA in August, earlier this year, to overturn a high court judgment that declared his release on medical parole was unlawful. The former president was released from prison on medical parole in September 2021. He had been serving a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court related to his refusal to return to the Zondo Commission to respond to allegations of corruption. Zuma…
Technology group Word Is Bond (WIB) has partnered with Stuttgart headquartered enterprise content management company ELO to enhance its public sector digitalisation project in Southern Africa. WIB says the ELO alliance enables it to fulfil its objectives to digitise the public sector in SA and other countries in the region, as it seeks to find solutions to assist in solving perennial challenges in healthcare, public transport and security. ELO, which is headquartered in Stuttgart Germany and has presence in 16 countries, established its digital office in Johannesburg last year, said it plans to extend its footprint In Africa through partnerships. Commenting…
Nigerian social media show-off and famed scammer, Hushpuppi, who had the gall to defraud a U.S. law firm of nearly a million American dollars has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, Hush, or Ray Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 and extradited to the U.S, where he has been languishing in jail ever since. Far from the glamourous life of expensive cars and high-end fashion that Hushpuppi portrayed on Instagram, the convicted fraudster was subdued and a sorry sight when he was hauled before the court in prison garb on Friday. Hushpuppi, who turned 40 last…
A cybersecurity firm has urged companies to secure their networks and laptop use. In2IT technologies, which specialises in cybersecurity, warns that: “As a country, we are facing two types of cyber-attacks: one on systems such as networks and the other on people such as phishing”. Rounding off October – cybersecurity month – Amritesh Anand, the In2IT vice president, said: “We are inundated with multiple attacks on both fronts in our customer environments”. Anand added: “It is important to understand that organisation-wide security is a responsibility of every individual.“So, updating policy on a laptop to maintain process level compliance is extremely…
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Board on Monday announced the appointment of Professor Sarah Mosoetsa as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Council, effective 1 February 2023. Prof Mosoetsa vacates her role as CEO at the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) to take up the position of CEO at the HSRC. She was instrumental in establishing and setting up the NIHSS in 2013 and held the position of CEO at the Institute since 2014. Prof Mosoetsa holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of the Witwatersrand. She is an associate professor of sociology at…