5 important things happening in South Africa today & More Latest News Here – Up Jobs

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

• Getting away: Criminals in South Africa are getting away with their crimes as the South African Police Service appears unable to hold cases together. Experts in criminology and researchers in cash-in-transit heists have pointed to repeat offenders only now facing criminal charges for the first time, saying that a lack of convictions has emboldened criminals and led to an increase in these crimes. Experts said that corruption in SAPS is the biggest reason these crimes aren’t pursued. [TimesLive]

• Water crisis: The water crisis in the Eastern Cape is deepening, exacerbated by strike action at water departments. Residents in parts of the province have been without water for more than a week as workers at municipal water departments strike over wages. Health facilities have been hit particularly hard by the dry taps, with aid groups doing their best to step in and assist. The province has been battling water shortages for years as municipal infrastructure crumbles. [ENCA]

• Telkom fight: South Africa’s Takeover Regulation Panel has instructed Rain to withdraw a press statement regarding a proposed merger with Telkom. Rain announced on Thursday afternoon that it had formally requested to present the Telkom board with a proposal to merge the two companies. However, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Takeover Regulation Panel took a dim view of Rain’s approach. [MyBroadband]

• Scandal: Testimony from a former Public Protector investigator claims that Busisiwe Mkhwebane insisted on removing maladministration findings against Ace Magashule and Mosebenzi Zwane from her report on the Gupta-linked Vrede scandal, despite investigators contending there was sufficient evidence against them. Mkhwebane called the allegations lies. The PP’s failure to properly investigate the Vrede scandal led to the courts declaring it invalid and unconstitutional. [News24]

• Markets: Following the US CPI reading, the rand extended its rally before finding some resistance at the R16.20/$ mark. The greenback also felt the pinch against other currencies, losing 0.8% against the euro and 1.6% against the Japanese yen. On Friday, the rand was trading at R16.24/$, R16.77/€ and R19.82/£. Brent crude is trading at $99 a barrel. [Citadel]