Latest news with #amaBhungane
Eyewitness News
14 hours ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
ARTsolar withdraws ‘gagging' case around imported solar panels
Because the case had implications for freedom of expression, the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism had applied to be admitted as an amicus curiae. Managing partner Sam Sole said the withdrawal was a 'bittersweet victory'. 'The facts of the case make it clear the order should never have been granted and amaBhungane was looking forward to urging the court to give decisive direction to other presiding officers about the very narrow and limited circumstances which could justify such pre-publication censorship,' he said. 'We had also intended to remind the court that an effective press is a 'public sentinel' and is a conduit for the public's right to receive and impart information, meaning curbs on the media effectively limit the rights of the general public. 'This places a duty on the courts to be exceptionally vigilant in ensuring adherence to the legal safeguards of press freedom, especially where the public have no voice in the proceedings – as in this case, where the media house did not initially come to court.' Sole said there were various reasons why a journalist may fail to effectively oppose such an application, especially an extremely urgent one, such as a lack of timely access to adequate (or any) legal representation. 'We hope the publicity engendered by this case will discourage other parties from running to court and will also encourage presiding officers to exercise due care and caution when faced with similar cases,' Sole said. ARTsolar's urgent application was sparked by Hans sending questions, based on Latimer's allegations, to the company. Latimer, a former client of ARTsolar, alleged that he had been duped into believing that the panels were locally manufactured when they were in fact imported from China. He was backed up by Singh and Hansraj, who previously worked for the company. On the back of the gagging order, Latimer obtained a subpoena against Turners Shipping and, in a supplementary affidavit, he said the shipping documents (bills of lading) showed that the company imported 99% of its panels. Latimer's attorney, MS Omar, said, 'The interim gagging order was a drastic and draconian violation of my client's fundamental rights of freedom of expression as enshrined in section 16 of the Constitution. The overbroad interim order plainly prohibits permissible statements, based on truth and public interest, and failed to take account of the high threshold for a defamation interdict.' The application will be formally withdrawn in court on 29 July.
Eyewitness News
04-07-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Some opposition parties reject DTIC's budget over multi-billion rand lottery operator licence
CAPE TOWN - Some opposition parties have rejected the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition's budget over the multi-billion rand lottery operator licence. Parties have raised questions over new operator Sizekhaya Holdings's alleged links to Deputy President Paul Mashatile's sister-in-law. The conflict was exposed by amaBhungane, which revealed that one of the co-owners of Bellamont Gaming was the twin sister of Mashatile's wife. ALSO READ:• Incoming lottery operator Sizekhaya Holdings commits to giving IP to govt once licence expires • Some opposition parties want Minister Tau to publicly disclose details of Sizekhaya Holdings, National Lottery contract • Newly-awarded national lottery licence operator Sizekhaya Holdings' ties to ANC questioned • KZN businessman Tembe denies claims of 'cronyism' after Sizekhaya secures lottery licence Opposition MPs used Friday's budget debate to condemn the perceived conflict of interest, with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) calling the lottery the African National Congress's 'cash cow'.
The Citizen
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
RET faction gains ground as Ramaphosa falters
Ramaphosa's weak leadership opens the door for RET-aligned figures to tighten their grip on Johannesburg and national politics. President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on 16 September 2022. Picture: AFP / Saul Loeb SA's most significant political conflict is within the ANC. President Cyril Ramaphosa is losing his grip to factions supporting radical economic transformation (RET), where his deputy, Paul Mashatile, is front-runner. Ramaphosa's dismissal of the DA's Andrew Whitfield likely has little to do with insubordination. More relevant is the linking of Mashatile to scandal around the national lottery, which falls under the department of trade, industry and competition, where Whitfield was deputy minister. According to Daily Maverick, an amaBhungane report led to the department's minister, Parks Tau, coming under pressure to account for possible conflicts of interest in the licence bidding process. The timing is significant: 'As a result of amaBhungane's reporting, members of parliament grilled Tau about Mashatile's possible conflicts of interest during a committee meeting on Tuesday. Several questions put to Mashatile's office went unanswered. 'Then, in a shocking turn of events, President Ramaphosa announced on Wednesday that he had taken a decision to remove Whitfield.' ALSO READ: Motion of no confidence vote against Ramaphosa is the 'nuclear' option, says Zille Joining these dots, it may be plausible to suggest Mashatile insisted that Whitfield be dismissed for asking uncomfortable questions about the lottery. And Ramaphosa didn't have the political clout to refuse this request. A win for RETs. This week, there was another sign the more unsavoury side of the ANC is gaining the upper hand. There are no 'good guys' in the ANC leadership. The organisation is held together by intersecting networks of patronage and cadre favouritism. Consider Monday's announcement of the appointment of yet another acting city manager for Johannesburg. Last month, the city council asked Gauteng MEC for cooperative governance Jacob Mamabolo to second, or deploy, someone to act as city manager until the position is filled. Mamabolo himself is no stranger to controversy. In 2021/22 he was investigated by the public protector. Last year, the DA raised questions about his eligibility to serve on the provincial executive, following allegations linking him to the VBS looting scandal. Kiba Kekana, named by Mamabolo to act as Joburg city manager, also has a chequered history. Kekana is a former municipal manager of Tshwane, where his tenure was plagued by allegations ranging from nepotism to misuse of ratepayer funds. ALSO READ: Will Ramaphosa act? DA lays criminal charges against perjury-accused Nkabane While prosecutions and formal rebukes don't exist, the reputational damage and questionable governance trail remain. So, Kekana, appointed by Mamabolo, who in turn serves at the pleasure of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, is now effectively Johannesburg's chief executive officer. A win for RETs. Lesufi, who shares Mashatile's radical economic transformation views, also fancies his chances of replacing Ramaphosa as ANC leader. In Joburg, Kekana, as acting city manager, now has sign-off authority. Even projects endorsed by Ramaphosa's presidential Johannesburg working group will need his signature. ANC factionalism is already rampant at multiple levels in Johannesburg. None of these limited interventions from national and provincial level will make a tangible difference in the lives of Johannesburg's overtaxed, underserved ratepayers, who are treated as undeserving cash cows. ALSO READ: 'It's the president's prerogative': Nkabane responds as critics demand her axing We have a half-baked version of placing Joburg under administration. We need the full version. Dissolve council. Fresh elections will unstick Joburg's RET-leaning government of local unity.
TimesLIVE
29-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
'No politicians influenced lotto deal' — Tembe
Businessman Moses Tembe, who is part of a consortium that was awarded the lucrative lotto licence contract, says there was no political influence or impropriety in the process. Tembe said neither deputy president Paul Mashatile nor any other political entity or individual had a financial interest — directly or indirectly — in their bid. 'We have indicated previously that Sizekhaya [Holdings] won the right to operate the fourth national lottery licence because of the strength of our bid, the deep knowledge of gaming that we bring to the table, our pledge to propel the lottery to new heights by generating more money for the government, for good causes and for players,' he said. Mashatile's statement on Sunday comes just days after he dismissed suggestions of political interference in the awarding of the contract in an interview on Sowetan's new podcast, IN THE KNOW with Sowetan, saying only trade and industry minister Parks Tau had the power to choose the winning bidder. amaBhungane, an investigative journalism organisation reported that Sizekhaya had links with the deputy president. Bellamont Gaming, a company owned by Tembe and Mashatile's wife's sister, Khumo Bogatsu, has shares in Sizekhaya. amaBhungane reported that Bellamont Gaming was registered in December 2023, just nine months after Mashatile married Bogatsu's sister. Together with their consortium partners, they established Sizekhaya Holdings shortly before the February 2024 bidding deadline for the lottery licence. Tembe denied Bellamont Gaming ever discussed the bid with Mashatile.
News24
19-06-2025
- Politics
- News24
Shivambu eyes new party; Gupta pad auction: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Thahasello Mphatsoe /News24 Former MKP secretary-general Shivambu announces 'consultations' to form new party - Floyd Shivambu announced plans to consult various leaders and ordinary citizens about forming a new political party. - Shivambu denied resigning from the MK Party, despite recent internal conflicts and his ousting as secretary-general. - He claimed accusations of trying to overthrow Jacob Zuma within the MK Party were based on a 'bizarre and fake intelligence report'. amaBhungane | Who went to Paris with Paul? Tenderpreneur joined Mashatile's France-SA business trip - Sibuyile Magingxa, a tenderpreneur involved in a controversial water tanker contract, and his partner Lesedi Phala, allegedly the niece of SA's ambassador to France, attended an investment conference in Paris with Deputy President Paul Mashatile. - Despite not being on the official delegate list, Magingxa and Phala had access to key events, raising questions about influence and accountability, with various departments evading responsibility for their invitation. - The South African embassy in Paris claimed Magingxa and Phala met the criteria for participation, but amaBhungane's investigation revealed a lack of transparency and vetting, highlighting potential issues with who represents South African business on the international stage. Darren Stewart/Gallo Images AKA accused killers mull Cholota strategy to avoid trial, but Kubayi says there's no crisis - Lawyers for the men accused of murdering AKA and Tibz are exploring how a ruling that only the justice minister can request extradition, which freed Ace Magashule's PA, could impact their extradition from Eswatini. - Despite the NPA admitting the ruling could jeopardise 89 extradition applications, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi insists there's no need to panic, while the Ndimande brothers' lawyers claim there's no record of the minister's involvement in their extradition request. - The NPA is assessing the impact of the ruling, with a senior official revealing that the decision to withdraw an appeal against the ruling was informed by a conversation with Kubayi, who was concerned about the NPA's 'haphazard' approach to extraditions. Sithandiwe Velaphi/News24 Pupils vow academic excellence to honour schoolmates who died in Eastern Cape floods - Thirteen schoolchildren were swept away in Eastern Cape floods, with 10 fatalities, and Jumba Senior Secondary School pupils pledged academic excellence in their memory. - The Eastern Cape government held a day of mourning for flood victims, with hundreds attending a service where pupils vowed to honour their classmates through academic success. - Families shared stories of their lost loved ones, highlighting their dreams and the devastating impact of the tragedy, while officials expressed sympathy and solidarity. SEE | Inside Gupta compound: Homes with cinemas, beauty salon up for auction - Three Saxonwold properties linked to Gupta-owned Confident Concept, including their infamous compound, are up for auction on 24 July. - The properties, ranging from a single-story house to luxurious mansions, were tied up in legal battles following Confident Concept entering business rescue in 2018. - The auction aims to provide a 'long-awaited payday' for creditors after the Guptas fled South Africa facing financial crime charges. Eben on Jake's calls for star Boks to return to SA: 'Would be great, but a bit impractical' - Eben Etzebeth acknowledges the benefit of having top SA players in local rugby but deems it financially unrealistic. - Etzebeth expresses his desire to participate in the 2027 World Cup and looks forward to upcoming Tests against New Zealand and France. - He emphasises the importance of appreciating every opportunity to play for the Springboks and the team's goal to continuously improve.
