Podcasts about Nkandla

Die MK-party-parlementslid Mzwanele Manyi het die EFF-leier Julius Malema se dreigement oor regstappe om die voormalige president Jacob Zuma se Nkandla-komplek te konfiskeer oor onbetaalde regsfooie afgemaak. Die geskil volg op spanning tussen die EFF en MK oor versekeie voormalige EFF-lede wat by MK aangesluit het. Manyi voer aan Zuma se eiendom is onder beskerming van die Ingonyama-trust en daar kan nie daarop beslag gelê word nie:

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has attributed the party's performance in yesterday's by-elections, to what it calls trust bestowed upon it by voters. The party won five wards in that province after contesting three wards in the Ethekwini municipality, one in the Umdoni Local Municipality and another in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality. Newcomers, the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party gained a ward from the African National Congress, in the Ray Nkonyeni local municipality, while the Inkatha Freedom Party retained its ward in the Nkandla local municipality. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Elections Expert, Wayne Sussman.

Wildfires in KwaZulu Natal have resulted in widespread destruction, leaving scores of people displaced and without homes. The provincial Department of Human Settlements reports that it has received preliminary and incomplete information regarding the destruction of homes in multiple areas, including eShowe, Nkandla, UMtshezi, Utretch, and Umtubatuba, due to the recent fires. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Ndabezinhle Sibiya, Spokesperson for the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KZN.

Guest: Orrin Sign, EWN reporter covering SA elections in Nkandla at Ntolwane Primary School, KZNSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EFF's Mbuyiseni Ndozi says his party's friend, MK Party leader Jacob Zuma, must go home and rest because he had his chance in government for two decades. Ndlozi asked what the former president would do now that he could not do while he was president.  Zuma was president from 2009 to 2018 in what critics have dubbed "the nine wasted years". He is planning to return to government as president to “fix things” and drastically change South African laws. They could be homophobic. Zuma has questioned the legalisation of same-sex relationships, referring to it as a disgrace. He would exile teen parents to Robben Island. Every matriculant  would go to university to join the army. Those are some of the rules he proposes if elected. EFF leader Julius Malema had said they welcome Zuma into the political space, warning him of challenges of forming a political party.    The EFF were strong critics of Zuma during his tenure as president when corruption allegations regarding his Nkandla homestead came to the fore. That was until Malema had a tea party with Zuma in 2021. Election analysts such as Dawie Scholtz and Wayne Sussman say the EFF has been a victim of the MK Party, losing voters to it.

Former South African President Jacob Zuma made his first public appearance in a week as his party sought to dispel speculation that he's ill. Zuma, who has spearheaded the election campaign of the opposition uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) since it launched in December, failed to attend a series of party events this month. South African media including News24 have reported that Zuma has had a series of falls that have raised concerns among his medical and security teams. The 82-year-old former leader danced and sang on a stage at a party rally at his homestead in Nkandla in rural KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday evening as scores of supporters chanted his name. Zuma had visible stitches above his left eye and while he didn't address the reports about his health, his party derided them as attempts to undermine the party's growth. "The falsehoods about President Zuma's health are a desperate attempt to disrupt our progress and weaken our resolve," the MKP said in a statement. Zuma led South Africa for nine scandal-marred years that included allegations of large-scale corruption and the looting of billions of dollars of government funds. He's denied wrongdoing and hasn't been indicted on the accusations. His popularity, particularly in the second-most populous province of KwaZulu-Natal, is one of the key reasons the party is garnering support that threatens the ruling African National Congress's (ANC's) ability to maintain the national majority it's had since coming to power in 1994. The MKP's policies include the expansion of the social security net, the expropriation of land without compensation and the nationalisation of all major banks - including the central bank - and mines. Zuma told the crowd that the party aims to secure a two-thirds majority in parliament, a feat the ANC last held under his predecessor Thabo Mbeki - in order to change laws that hinder the wellbeing of black people who are the "rightful owners" of the country.

If the 2024 elections do not see a "reset, recharge and reboot", KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) risks becoming a failed province. This is according to Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) KZN chairperson Thami Ntuli, who has accepted the nomination as the party's Premier candidate in the province. Ntuli, who was also mayor of the King Cetshwayo district municipality, said KZN stood at the brink of "an abyss". "It is painful to see the province of KwaZulu-Natal crumble because of corruption, poor management and unethical leadership. We have seen deepening levels of poverty, despair, joblessness, lawlessness and many social ills. The very economic center of this province - eThekwini - has collapsed before our very own eyes. That shall come to an end," he promised. While Ntuli assured that the party's plans ahead of the elections would be announced at the IFP's manifesto launch in March, he outlined the IFP's current standing in KZN as the opposition party, as well as its growth in the province owing to "people who are fed up with the current government". Ntuli expressed the IFP's support for traditional leadership alongside self-help and self-care and added, "We shall make KwaZulu-Natal great again." Outlining his own credentials, Ntuli noted that as mayor of the King Cetshwayo district municipality and as former mayor of Nkandla, his focus had been on development, infrastructure and basic services, while prioritising issues relating to women and children and indigent households. "I always put people first. The IFP has a track record known to anyone in this province. I am a person that believes in hard work. As the IFP's Premier, I will leave no one behind. I will make sure that every citizen's interests are taken care of," he stated. He urged voters in KZN to register at the upcoming voter registration weekend. "I am proud to say that the IFP is the future. We are the party you can trust. We work for you. We will deliver on the revival, the recharge, the rescue, the hope that this province so desperately wants and needs. I pledge myself to be your humble servant as we start the process of rebuilding this province. We will do so to secure the future of our children, and to honour the legacy of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi." YOUTH ENDORSEMENT FOR NTULI The IFP's Youth Brigade national executive committee (IFPYB NEC) gave its support for Ntuli's nomination, calling his leadership instrumental in "leading the province's structures to a successful election campaign". "The suffering and hardship endured by the people of KwaZulu-Natal cannot be ignored. It is for this reason that the IFPYB NEC will lend our full support to all the KZN Youth Brigade structures in the province, including our new Premier candidate, Cllr Ntuli, to offer meaningful alternatives to the challenges faced under the ANC administration," the IFPYB NEC said.

While some opposition parties have united under the multi-party charter, political parties like the Black First Land First and liberation movement and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania have instead headed down to Nkandla to meet with former President Jacob Zuma ahead of the general elections. This is as the black minority parties intend on uniting and consolidating their leftist vote ahead of what has been termed as the most contested elections since 1994. SABC reporter, Sibahle Motha reports.

Guest: Prof Ntsikilelo Breakfast | Political Analyst at Nelson Mandela University  Prof Ntsikilelo Breakfast is Political Analyst with Nelson Mandela University and joins Africa to comment on the gag-order the ANC has initiated on its Secretary General, Fikile MbalulaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has had a very bad start to the election year. It has been one scandal and controversy after another.  BizNews speaks to John Steenhuisen, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) about the big four: ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula's apparent admission that the ANC had lied to cover up the truth about the Nkandla “fire pool” to protect former President Jacob Zuma; the millions being spent on catering on the Presidential jet; Cyril Ramophosa's “threat” to the poor that social grants are likely to disappear if the ANC loses the election; and the latest allegations of corruption in the higher education sector that could result in radical protest action from desperate students. In a raft of actions, the DA has already laid criminal charges against Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande. Meanwhile, the party is going after ANC officials and members of Parliament who might have perjured themselves before the courts to protect Zuma. “… this is a very, very serious situation that Fikile Mbulula has now landed the ANC in. And I think he significantly exposed a number of those people who were part of what we knew was an extensive cover up at the time…it's just showing here again that this is a government that cannot be trusted. They cannot tell the truth. They cannot deliver. They're led by a coward who cannot stand up to his own associates, and it's time to vote them out of office - and we will have that chance later this year.” - Chris Steyn

President Cyril Ramaphosa has steered clear of the reinvigorated controversy around the R4-million pool at Nkandla, with his spokesperson saying that former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's "Secure in Comfort" report already dealt with the matter. In a leaked voice note on 9 January, former police minister Nathi Nhleko criticised African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who recently claimed that the "fire pool" explanation from the then minister was false. While addressing ANC members on Sunday, Mbalula confirmed what was previously widely understood to be a lie: that the R4-million amenity in former president Jacob Zuma's homestead was in fact a swimming pool - not a fire pool. But, in the voice note to KwaZulu-Natal politicians following Mbalula's remarks, Nhleko stood by his initial claim that the facility was a fire pool - a water source to fight fires on the estate - and said he reported directly to ANC leaders, including Ramaphosa. Mbalula's comments followed Zuma's backing of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. In the wake of Nhleko's recording, the Presidency was approached for Ramaphosa's response to the debacle and to the former minister's statement that Ramaphosa was one of the people he had directly reported to. In response to News24's questions, Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya cited the Public Protector's report and said "any attempt to draw the president into some form of revision of the matter is an exercise in futility". He said the March 2014 Public Protector investigation - titled "Secure in Comfort" - "exhaustively dealt with all the issues." The chief finding in the report was that Zuma had unduly benefitted from state-funded upgrades to his homestead. Meanwhile, Mbalula went on a public relations offensive on Tuesday evening, seeking to explain himself amid backlash from some quarters of the ANC, including party chairperson, Gwede Mantashe. "I think I listened very carefully to what [the secretary-general] said. I thought he was carried away by yourselves (the media). He saw your cameras, he got carried away and said things he should not have said," Mantashe said, as a few ANC members chuckled in the background. "It's an issue that you have to deal with internally... that when you lead, you count every word you say. If you don't, you catch fire." In one of the TV interviews, as a way of explaining himself, Mbalula used the old Xhosa adage: "IsiXhosa asitolikwa", which loosely means one cannot translate isiXhosa because you may risk being lost in translation. He also said he had been looking to speak to Mantashe over his comments in the media. In an interview on eNCA, Mbalula was asked about Nhleko's voice note. He said he understood Nhleko's reaction. "If I was Nathi Nhleko and someone says that I was on a platform, sweating and explaining a lie and it hits in my skin (sic), I'd react the same," Mbalula said. "Depending on modesty and what kind of person you are, if you're a cadre of the ANC you'll call the SG and say I didn't expect you to say that. I was not addressing a media conference; I was talking to ANC supporters. And when I talk to ANC members and supporters, I don't sugarcoat issues." Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, Nhleko said the work undertaken at Zuma's Nkandla homestead at the time related to security features. He said the determination that the R4-million amenity was a fire pool was made by engineers. Nhleko mentioned one of the engineers only by surname - Oberholzer - and said he had never met him before. He added that when he was the police minister in the fifth administration, Parliament had already instructed that a determination be made on security issues, one of which was the fire pool.

The African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly taken its logo dispute with the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party to the Electoral Court. ANC secretary-general (SG) Fikile Mbalula revealed during a live interview with eNCA that he had signed papers on Tuesday. "MK is our trademark. It is well known in South Africa. It's the people's army, and it belongs to the ANC," he said. Mbalula added that the ANC challenged the formation of the MK Party in May and won, but later a certificate was awarded to the new organisation without the party's knowledge. "The technicality about that was that [there] was a gazette, and we didn't respond. We were unaware of that, and once we were aware, we responded. We are challenging that and we are going to the Electoral Court. I signed the papers [on Tuesday]," he added. Interim MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela said: "We have just heard statements that were mentioned by Fikile Mbalula. We will respond accordingly when we receive court papers; until then, it is just hearsay." The two parties are embroiled in a legal battle over the use of the MK logo. The ANC believes the logo bears similarities to that of its military wing, uMkhonto weSizwe. In a letter of demand, the ANC submitted that the logo would confuse voters at the polls. In what appeared to be a desperate attempt to spin his most recent statements on using millions of taxpayers' money for security upgrades to former president Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla, including R4-million on a "fire pool", Mbalula said he was speaking to ANC cadres and would not sugarcoat his message. Mbalula added that he was not throwing party members under the bus when he said the party had lied to defend Zuma. He was relaying historical facts, he said. "I was not addressing a media conference. I was speaking to ANC supporters, and when I talk to ANC supporters and members, I don't sugarcoat issues. I say what they know and what is the truth, and that truth is on that day, Nkandla was explained," he added. Since then, former police minister Nathi Nhleko said his 2014 claim that the R4-million pool was a "fire pool" aimed at securing the home of the president at the time was backed up by facts. Mbalula said he would engage with Nhleko "quietly as per ANC standards". He added that ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe had broken ANC protocol by speaking out publicly against him. Mantashe told journalists on Tuesday that Mbalula may have been excited by the press when he commented on the fire pool in Nkandla. Mbalula said that while Mantashe had yet to answer his phone calls, he would meet with him in Mbombela to discuss the matter. "I will get him every day. Every day we meet. I am not in a hurry about it. "I think in his way, he thought he was doing something good for the movement, and in this particular instance, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. "Who am I in the ANC? I am just the SG," Mbalula added. In the ANC's build-up programme on Thursday, party leaders and members embark on poverty alleviation programmes, which includes planting vegetable gardens in the area.

Former police minister Nathi Nhleko has reportedly lashed out at ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula over his Nkandla fire pool remarks. Nhleko, who served as Minister under former President Jacob Zuma's administration and presided over security upgrades at his private Nkandla residence is reportedly heard on a leaked Whatsapp voice note saying Mbalula is the worst secretary general since the party's inception in 1912. The voice note was apparently sent to an ANC Whatsapp group of the Musa Dladla region. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC Musa Dladla Regional Deputy Chairperson, Phiwe Mhlongo

Former police minister Nathi Nhleko has insisted that the justification for the irregular spending of public funds on a swimming pool at former president Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead as a security feature stands, despite African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula admitting to it being a lie. In a voicenote circulated on Tuesday, Nhleko said his 2014 claim that the R4-million pool was a "fire pool" aimed at securing the home of the then president was backed up by facts. This despite Mbalula telling supporters in Mpumalanga on Sunday that Nhleko had lied to Parliament in defence of Zuma. "If I was lying about this [fire pool], he would have to mention who from the then leadership of the ANC - including the then deputy president, who is currently the president [Cyril Ramaphosa] whom I was reporting to regularly on these issues in the context of the political committee, for example - gave me an instruction to lie on behalf of the ANC," Nhleko said in the circulated voicenote. "If he can't issue the name of that person, then he is in trouble. Where does he get what he is talking about? You will discover there is no such person," he said. In the 2014 report titled Secure in Comfort, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that Zuma had unduly benefitted from state-funded upgrades to his private home. But Nhleko, who was police minister at the time, insisted that the swimming pool, amphitheatre and kraal, among other features, were all constructed for the sake of securing Zuma. Mbalula told ANC die-hards that the party had defended Zuma despite a 2016 damning judgment by the Constitutional Court against him. "We went to Parliament and opened an ad hoc committee and said a swimming pool is a fire pool. The [then] police minister [Nathi Nhleko] was sweating, seeing that this was a lie, because it is difficult to explain lies. People have lost their careers because of that thing," he said. In response, Nhleko said his investigative report on Nkandla was backed up by scientific work, including experts in the fields of engineering, security, culture, and construction. "If he says I was lying, you need to counter me with something that says, 'here is proof that whatever you said was not true'. Up until this point, nobody can do that because nobody has the facts at hand," he said in the five-minute-long recording. Zuma's efforts to campaign against the ANC and in support of the newly-formed MK Party have overshadowed the ruling party's political campaigning. In the leaked recording, Nhleko appears to be responding to a person whom he only refers to as "Mgenge", and others he referred to as "comrades", whom sources identified as the leaders of the ANC in the Musa Dladla region of KwaZulu-Natal. Seemingly referring to how the ANC handles matters, Nhleko said there was no "mature approach" in dealing with issues. In the voicenote, he appears to refer to the current state of affairs in the ANC's political leadership, and talks about a "situation" that cannot be wished away, "no matter how much muti you have, never!". Alternating between English and isiZulu, Nhleko lambasted Mbalula. "I'm convinced now, and I don't like to talk about these things... but all I can say is in the ANC, if we still have a secretary-general like this one, the worst of its kind ever in the 112-year-old liberation movement, we're never going anywhere because you can't speak before you think. It just can't happen that way. In fact, it's a typical behaviour of a beetle moving cow dung around the kraal," he said. Mbalula said he would not comment on the matter.

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says Fikile Mbalula, the party's secretary-general, said things he shouldn't have said about the Nkandla “fire pool” saga. Mantashe said leaders should count their words or catch fire. This after Mbalula claimed the party protected former president Jacob Zuma by lying that the swimming pool at his Nkandla homestead is a fire pool and a necessary security feature. When Zuma was president and the public protector at the time, Thuli Mandonsela, his home cost R3.9m, the governing party went guns blazing, defining the pool as a fire pool used for security reasons to fight fires. On Sunday Mbalula conceded the party lied to protect Zuma, who recently said he has lost patience with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

It has been seven years since the Constitutional Court ruled that former President Jacob Zuma should pay back a percentage of the money used for non-security upgrades at his private home in Nkandla. Then Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng made the ruling after former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's remedial action stated that a portion of the money spent on the upgrades should come from Zuma's own pocket. SABC News reporter, Sibahle Motha filed this report. 

Remember when the governing ANC justified the R3.9m pool at former president Jacob Zuma's Nkandla as a fire pool and not a swimming pool? Well, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula now says that was a lie to defend Zuma. At the time, the government justified the so-called fire pool as being solely for security reasons, arguing it could be used to fight fires. The building cost and its justification sparked controversy. On Sunday, while delivering a keynote address in Barberton, Mpumalanga, Mbalula conceded that the party had misled parliament to defend its president at the time. “We went to parliament and opened an ad-hoc committee and said a swimming pool is a fire pool. The police minister [Nathi Nhleko] was sweating seeing that this was lies — because it's difficult to explain lies. People have lost their careers because of that thing,” he said.

Former African National Congress (ANC) Veterans' League spokesperson Carl Niehaus has been expelled from the ANC. The ANC's national disciplinary committee (NDC) found Niehaus guilty of six charges of misconduct. The charges are in connection with comments Niehaus made in July outside former president Jacob Zuma's residence in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal, where he protested against Zuma's incarceration for being in contempt of the Constitutional Court. In a letter dated 12 December 2022, ANC NDC chairperson Ralph Mgijima cited Niehaus' disparaging remarks against the judiciary as having led to him being charged by the party. Niehaus had called the Constitutional Court's ruling "a travesty of justice”. “The flimsy report of the state capture report of the Public Protector was used to force president Zuma to announce the state capture commission eventually. President Zuma did not want to do so of his own volition,” Niehaus said. According to the findings, Niehaus also said, “The law is being used selectively as an instrument to fight political and factional battles.” In his defence, Niehaus argued that the utterances were made while executing an order of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association as its national spokesperson. He also argued that the ANC does not have a policy on what utterances may not be made against the judiciary. The NDC, however, indicated that the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) in 2018 supported the establishment of the state capture commission under then Deputy Chief Justice Zondo and called on all ANC members to give full cooperation to the commission and respect its recommendations. Mgijima also highlighted that on 29 June 2021, ANC national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, reiterated the ANC's position on the Constitutional Court judgment when he said that although the party was going through a difficult period, the party “reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the aspirations of our constitutional democracy”. ANC member Fikile Mbalula was among party leaders who testified against Niehaus. However, his testimony was later not given any consideration when passing judgment as the accused was not afforded the opportunity to cross-examine him. Niehaus brought former MKMVA treasurer-general Des van Rooyen to give testimony on his behalf. In his findings, Mgijima said the committee believed that the charges for which Niehaus had been found guilty were severe. “As such, the charged member's plea that he be sanctioned with a reprimand if found guilty is wholly inappropriate." The NDC resolved that “the charged member [Niehaus] is expelled from the ANC". In handing down such a hash ruling, Mgijima said the NDC had taken into consideration that the utterances were made by Niehaus “at a time when the circumstances surrounding the arrest and subsequent committal to prison of former president Zuma was very volatile as evidenced by the subsequent riots which took place in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng and resultant loss of life and limb and damage to and loss of property”. The NDC found that Niehaus had not demonstrated any remorse and persisted in his view that the ANC was violating its constitution and his rights by disciplining him. “The NDC took into consideration the fact that the charged member is a senior and long-standing member of the ANC, had served a term of imprisonment for his political beliefs, and held strong and sometimes contrary views on the policies of the ANC and positions adopted by the NEC from time to time." Niehaus was not immediately available for comment.

There's a sense of deja vu as the ANC laagers around its president ahead of next week's Phala Phala impeachment debate. The DA, and most other opposition parties, will be voting to support the establishment of an impeachment inquiry. It's a motion that only requires a simple majority (50% plus one), but that isn't as simple as the name denotes. Not when the ANC holds 57% of parliamentary seats. The ANC caucus in Parliament has been instructed to quash next week's debate on the Phala Phala report in a posture incredibly reminiscent of its protection of former President Jacob Zuma. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel spoke with DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube (before Eskom so rudely cut our conversation short) about the potential outcomes and complexities of the matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Die Congress of the People sê hy verwerp oproepe deur sommige ANC-lede en politieke partye dat President Cyril Ramaphosa moet bedank. Dit volg nadat die Artikel 89-paneel bevind het die president het moontlik die Grondwet oortree en sy ampseed geskend toe hy nie die misdaad in 2020 op sy Phala Phala-plaas in Limpopo by die betrokke owerhede aangemeld het nie. Dennis Bloem van Cope sê hulle weier om die Nkandla-teeparty-agenda te ondersteun om van Ramaphosa ontslae te raak:

EFF MP Mbuyiseli Ndlozi's prediction that President Cyril Ramaphosa must be the first president whom the new National Assembly Rule 129 must be tested on, has become a reality. Ndlozi made this in November 2018 during the debate on the adoption of the rule by the Assembly. Rule 129 outlines the processes to be followed when a National Assembly Member tables a motion for the removal of a President from office in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution. The rule was developed following successful Constitutional Court challenge by the EFF in December 2017. The EFF was joined by the UDM, COPE and the DA. They wanted the assembly to hold former President Jacob Zuma accountable for violating the constitution in relations to his failure to implement the Public Protector's remedial action into the Nkandla security upgrades. Mercedes Besent looks back at how Ndlozi ended up being kicked out of the chamber by House Chairperson Mmatlala Boroto,  for  refusing to withdraw his comments that Rule 129 must be tested on Ramaphosa. She sent us this snippet.

Our president has laid out his implementation plan to “forever bring an end to state capture in our country”. Cyril Ramaphosa calls the caboodle of corruption perpetrated in South Africa over many years a crime against its people. He addressed the nation on Sunday evening just a day after former head of state Jacob Zuma launched a pre-emptive and rather conveniently timed attack on the embattled Ramaphosa calling him corrupt and guilty of treason. Strong words from Zuma, a convicted criminal who faces a host of corruption charges in a trial, which has been almost two decades in the making. A trial he has thrown everything – including the Nkandla sink at – to make sure it never gets off the ground. BizNews correspondent Michael Appel takes a look at some of the measures contained in Ramaphosa's implementation plan to battle state capture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lobbying and canvassing is in full swing ahead of the ANC's 55th elective conference in December, with some frontrunners voicing out their readiness to challenge Cyril Ramaphosa as party leader. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says if nominated, she will be available as a candidate for the ANC presidency when the party elects new leadership.  This is as ANC officials in KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga held meetings to discuss the roadmap to the conference. It has also been reported that former president Jacob Zuma has called some NEC members who are his supporters, to his Nkandla homestead for a meeting over the weekend, where he instructed them to support Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's bid to become the next ANC president. Elvis Presslin spoke to ANC NEC member Dakota Legoete... 

Former president Jacob Zuma summoned African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) members supportive of him to his Nkandla homestead on Saturday, and instructed them to get behind a campaign to have Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma elected as the next ANC president. News24 has been reliably informed that Zuma told the delegation led by suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule that Dlamini-Zuma was his preferred candidate and that he believed there was no need to be "defocused". "He brought the proposal of those who are known to be supporting him to support NDZ, and he motivated that they needed to be consistent, and there was no need to change the candidate [contesting Ramaphosa]. He said they couldn't be defocused and consider other candidates to challenge Ramaphosa," a well-placed source told News24. The meeting was said to have been attended by NEC members openly loyal to Zuma and included Dakota Legoete, Supra Mahumapelo and Tony Yengeni. Dlamini-Zuma lost against Ramaphosa five years ago at the ANC's 2017 elective conference. Two well-placed sources said Zuma had expressed that he believed there was a strong chance for Ramaphosa to be removed as ANC president given the allegations he faces around business dealings related to his Phala Phala farm. The meeting is said to have been a precursor to a bigger one in Nkandla planned for Thursday among Zuma's allies in the ANC. A final strategy to unseat Ramaphosa is expected to be finalised at this meeting. The push by Zuma for his supporters to campaign for Dlamini-Zuma comes after she confirmed that she would accept nomination for the presidency of the ANC. A source with intimate knowledge of the meeting said the NEC leaders at the meeting gave Zuma feedback about efforts to oppose Ramaphosa, and that party structures were considering three candidates to go up against him - Zweli Mkhize, Dlamini-Zuma and Lindiwe Sisulu. "He expressed his wish (that Dlamini-Zuma be supported) and gave guidance on how the campaign must go, but they said to him that they have to see what branches and regions are saying and report back to him," the source said. News24 understands that Zuma was told that his wish would be communicated to party structures, but "on the assumption that ANC branches and regions will decide who should be the candidate". Dlamini-Zuma's bid to contest Ramaphosa was seen as a blow to Mkhize, who had worked in earnest to secure the nomination from the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal for the position. "By the end of the week, we have to decide on one name (to go up against Ramaphosa). We cannot have all three contesting and tearing the support base apart. None of them will stand a chance if that happens," the second high-level source said. Ramaphosa's bid for a second term is being supported by the ANC in Limpopo, North West, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. ANC branches are expected to begin nominating leaders for the December conference this week.

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) said on Friday that it is inspired and has been galvanised into action following recent engagements with former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. Last week the newly elected provincial leadership, led by ANC chairperson Siboniso Duma and his deputy Nomagugu Simelane, visited Zuma at his Nkandla homestead. Addressing the media in Durban to report on the recent PEC meeting, ANC KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo said that if Zuma and Mbeki's contributions and wisdom were not acknowledged then the commitment to unite the ANC would remain a pipedream. He said, in its meeting, the KZN ANC PEC committed to revive the organisation and unite members and supporters in a manner that would strengthen the ANC. Mtolo said the party would "spread the light of unity, and respect for all our leaders for their contributions that brought us freedom and democracy”. On the issue of social compacts with businesses, emerging entrepreneurs and labour, the PEC engaged on strategies required to sustain economic recovery for the benefit of the people in the province. The ANC met with captains of industry under the auspices of the KZN Growth Coalition, and has undertaken to sustain engagements with all structures representing cooperatives, small, medium-sized and microenterprises, emerging entrepreneurs and business chambers. Central to the organisation's economic strategy is a new social compact involving all role-players, such as business, labour, community and the ANC government, for radical economic transformation. “We remain committed towards ensuring economic empowerment of women, youth, persons with disabilities and MKMVA. Economic opportunities must be accessed by people in townships, villages and rural areas,” Mtolo said. The PEC has also resolved to support Zuma moving forward, by ensuring visibility in all his court appearances. “We are calling upon the ANC government to ensure that President Zuma is supported like all former Presidents. His residence must also be maintained as is the case with residences of former Heads of State,” said Mtolo. On the issue of the Ingonyama Trust which has been receiving media attention, the PEC will consult with the Zulu King MisuZulu ka Zwelithini. THE PEC says the ANC remains firm in its support of the King and the organisation and added that the party has not changed from its position that indigenous people have a right to access the land. Reporting on the party's election campaign team, Mtolo said the leadership had identified the need to revive all branches not in good standing and increase membership. “There are many seasoned activists who are inactive. The ANC will bring them back to strengthen the ANC. We will focus on all the young people - children of a free South Africa who were born when Madiba was President. We want them to come in, grow in the ANC and inherit their movement,” he added. As the ANC prepares for the 2024 provincial and national elections, the PEC hopes to retain support for the ANC as the leading party of government. To achieve that, it has established an ANC election campaign team, dedicated to planning and executing campaigns. As part of this campaign, all ANC leaders, volunteers and public representatives will be on the ground to explain the party's policies and programmes at grassroots level, while branches will go out to mobilise support for the ANC. The PEC also appointed Mafika Mndebele as the new spokesperson of the ANC in the province. Mndebele is expected to lead all communication efforts aimed at bridging the gap between the ANC in the province and the media.

He left office more than four years ago but former president Jacob Zuma has remained a feature in SA's political and public life. This week the Pietermaritzburg high court gave VBS Mutual Bank permission to seize Zuma's assets to repay a loan of nearly R7m relating to the refurbishment of his Nkandla homestead.This follows his pending corruption trial and a separate court case on whether he should return to prison after being controversially released on parole by former prisons boss and supporter Arthur Fraser. This week on Sunday Times Politics Weekly, we discuss the “Zuma phenomenon”. Is it possible or even advisable to hold Zuma accountable before court? How has Zuma managed to have so much influence in SA? Should he face rearrest, will SA experience another 2021 July unrest scenario? These are some topics discussed by host Mike Siluma and his panel — Sunday Times political writer Mawande AmaShabalala and independent political analyst Prince Mashele.

He left office more than four years ago but former president Jacob Zuma has remained a feature in SA's political and public life. This week the Pietermaritzburg high court gave VBS Mutual Bank permission to seize Zuma's assets to repay a loan of nearly R7m relating to the refurbishment of his Nkandla homestead.This follows his pending corruption trial and a separate court case on whether he should return to prison after being controversially released on parole by former prisons boss and supporter Arthur Fraser. This week on Sunday Times Politics Weekly, we discuss the “Zuma phenomenon”. Is it possible or even advisable to hold Zuma accountable before court? How has Zuma managed to have so much influence in SA? Should he face rearrest, will SA experience another 2021 July unrest scenario? These are some topics discussed by host Mike Siluma and his panel — Sunday Times political writer Mawande AmaShabalala and independent political analyst Prince Mashele.

He left office more than four years ago but former president Jacob Zuma has remained a feature in SA's political and public life. This week the Pietermaritzburg high court gave VBS Mutual Bank permission to seize Zuma's assets to repay a loan of nearly R7m relating to the refurbishment of his Nkandla homestead.This follows his pending corruption trial and a separate court case on whether he should return to prison after being controversially released on parole by former prisons boss and supporter Arthur Fraser. This week on Sunday Times Politics Weekly, we discuss the “Zuma phenomenon”. Is it possible or even advisable to hold Zuma accountable before court? How has Zuma managed to have so much influence in SA? Should he face rearrest, will SA experience another 2021 July unrest scenario? These are some topics discussed by host Mike Siluma and his panel — Sunday Times political writer Mawande AmaShabalala and independent political analyst Prince Mashele.

Die DA-leier, John Steenhuisen, het President Cyril Ramaphosa se Phala Phala-plaasskandaal vergelyk met oudpresident Jacob Zuma se Nkandla-skandaal. Steenhuisen het Ramaphosa daarvan beskuldig dat hy vrae oor die diefstal op sy wildplaas in Limpopo in 2020 ontduik. Steenhuisen sê ook die parlement beskerm ANC-lede.

Today's Daily Friend Show with Alex Weiss, Sara Gon and Nicholas Lorimer. The crew discusses Ramaphosa's struggle with the Phala Phala scandal. They also discuss the latest Political Party funding report. And lastly they say some words about the life and legacy of Gorbachev. Check out our sponsor: BitVice https://bit.ly/3SVPnhp

Guest: Anoosh Rooplal, VBS liquidatorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Cyril Ramaphosa did not report the foreign exchange transaction that was the source of the US dollars stolen from his farm, as required by law, his response to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) indicates. Ramaphosa also has yet to respond adequately to the central bank, which has written to his lawyers asking for details of the transaction. In a letter to Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday the governor of the Reserve Bank Lesetja Kganyago said following press reports about the robbery its Financial Surveillance Department had written to Ramaphosa's legal advisors on 20 June requesting "information and details regarding the origin of the foreign currency and any underlying transaction that may pertain to it." The bank had initially given Ramaphosa 21 business days to respond to the letter and subsequently granted an extension of 15 working days. The letter states, "The department has since received a response from the president's legal advisors to which further information and details were requested by the department. A response to this additional request for information is required and expected no later than 8 September, whereafter the department will be able to progress its investigation into the matter." Kganyago's letter to the committee follows letters written to it by two of the committee members Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy leader Floyd Shivambu and the Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Dion George. The SARB administers South Africa's exchange control regulations and investigates contraventions. Under the regulations, all foreign currency transactions must be reported to the bank within 30 days. Kganyago's letter requesting information confirms that Ramaphosa did not report the transaction as required by law. Ramaphosa has previously said that the cash stolen from his farm Phala Phala was the proceeds of the sale of animals. The theft first came to light in June when former spy boss Arthur Fraser declared in an affidavit lodged with the police that at least $4-million, which had been concealed in furniture, was stolen from the farm. Ramaphosa has said the amount was nowhere near as large but has not provided any information on the sum. On Tuesday, Ramphosa faced a chaotic and humiliating question session in Parliament where for several hours he declined to answer questions on Phala Phala, citing legal advice. While opposition MPs from the EFF, African Transformation Movement and DA demanded answers, African National Congress MPs argued that Ramaphosa's refusal to answer constituted "a response" which was all that was required in terms of the rules. The sitting was eventually adjourned. On social media Ramaphosa supporters defended the President arguing that it was not Ramaphosa's responsibility to oversee the day-to-day running of the farm. Shivambu said that Kganyago's letter was proof that Ramaphosa was already guilty of at least one crime, in failing to report the transaction. DA leader John Steenhuisen described Ramaphosa's failure to answer as "Nkandla 2.0" reminiscent of the former President Jacob Zuma's refusal to answer questions on the upgrades to his home, while MPs rallied around him to defend him.

Pauli Van Wyk, investigative journalist with Scorpio at Daily Maverick explains the High Court in Pietermaritzburg's order that the VBS Mutual Bank can now seize former president Jacob Zuma's realisable assets to repay his R6.5-million loan for his homestead at Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal.   Michael Sassoon, CEO at Sasfin Holdings Limited on the bank suspending some of its staff amid claims of fraud with cigarette group Gold Leaf.     Then in Investment School, Petri Redelinghuys, founder at Herenya Capital Advisors gives five tips you can use to recover from a bad investment or loss from stock market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Pauli Van Wyk | Journalist with Scorpio  at Daily Maverick See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Members of KZN's newly elected ANC leadership say their visit to Nkandla, this past weekend, was made in the hopes of rebuilding the province.

Die Regterlike Dienstekommissie gaan aanbeveel dat regter John Hlophe geskors word. Uiteenlopende reaksie op president Ramaphosa se kragplan. Die kwessie van ongedokumenteerde plaaswerkers is onder die soeklig. 'n Toename in transitorooftogte regoor die land. Opposisiepartye sê die parlement móét die diefstal op president Ramaphosa se wildsplaas ondersoek om 'n herhaling van die Nkandla-skandaal te verhoed. Banyana Banyana se oorwinning in Marokko ontketen opnuut die debat oor gelyke geleenthede vir vroue in sport.

Guest: Qaanitah Hunter joins John from News 24 to describe the efforts of ANC regional leaders in KwaZulu-Natal lobbying for a special national conference of the party to repeal its step-aside policy in a move aimed at weakening President Cyril Ramaphosa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Complaints and Compliance Committee of ICASA recently dismissed complaints laid against Pretoria FM by Primedia Broadcasting. Retired High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa and a panel of five committee members ruled against claims that Pretoria FM has been contravening its licence conditions and regulations. This is just the latest episode in a long history of litigation against the station explains Pretoria FM Executive Chairperson Willie Spies. Pretoria FM has faced a total of nine court cases over a period of close on two decades ventilated in the country's High Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and the Constitutional Court. The right of Pretoria FM - licensed to serve the interests of the Afrikaner community - to broadcast as a community radio station has been continually contested. In this interview with BizNews, Spies gives the background to Primedia's litigation and how Pretoria FM has slowly built itself up into a sustainable commercial entity within the broadcast space. Interestingly, Pretoria FM - perhaps considered as a bastion of Afrikanerdom - is currently involved in assisting an Nkandla-based isiZulu radio station ,Ngkungumathe in KwaZulu-Natal, to get off the ground.

South Africa's Constitution is widely lauded, but how strong is constitutional democracy and the rule of law in SA? In this episode of Solutions With David Ansara, I speak with Advocate Mark Oppenheimer of the Johannesburg Bar about defending South Africa's Constitution. We discuss Mark's new podcast, Constitutional Landmarks, which explores the most significant judgements handed down by the ConCourt since its inception, including the Nkandla judgement against former president Jacob Zuma, the abolition of the death penalty, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), gay marriage, and access to HIV/AIDS treatment. Mark and I discuss the origins of the Constitution, which is the product of a negotiated political settlement between the outgoing Apartheid regime and the incoming ANC government. As a result, the final document became something of a patchwork of compromises and political agreements. Mark points out that one of the founding values of the Constitution is non-racialism: "The original meaning of the term is that you don't allocate burdens and benefits on the basis of race, he says. "People ought to be judged on the content of their character and not the colour of their skin." However, Mark notes that the principle of non-racialism is often contradicted by government policy and social behaviour. He highlights the recent elections for the Legal Practitioners' Council, the body that runs his profession, where certain seats were allocated on the grounds of race. This has resulted in black female candidates being removed from their seats for being 'overly-represented'. "The Constitution promises certain things, but as a society we still need to work quite hard to ensure that those are provided," Mark says. We also discuss the notion of redress for past wrongs, and the folly of the proposed amendments to section 25 of the Constitution (the Property Rights Clause), as well as whether the Truth and Reconciliation Commission achieved a just outcome for victims of gross human rights violations. How do we as ordinary citizens ensure that we uphold the values of the Constitution, I ask? Protecting and upholding constitutional principles requires active citizens bringing cases before the Constitutional Court, Mark says. NGOs and other interested parties can do this, but litigation is expensive. Crowdfunding initiatives such as those run by organisations like the Institute of Race Relations and Afriforum can do a lot to shape our constitutional framework, he says. Mark notes that a Constitution is not simply a piece of paper. "It's not only about rights, it's a culture," he says. This requires us to hold government to account and ensure that our rights are protected. "The price of freedom is constant vigilance," he says. "If you do nothing, then tyranny will prevail." TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Intro (00:41) Mark Oppenheimer on his new podcast, 'Constitutional Landmarks' (03:11) Mark Oppenheimer on the history of the South African Constitution (09:08) Mark Oppenheimer on equality (11:50) Mark Oppenheimer on the supremacy of the Constitution (15:20) Mark Oppenheimer on strengthening the rule of law (18:09) Mark Oppenheimer on Expropriation Without Compensation (22:05) Mark Oppenheimer on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (32:25) Mark Oppenheimer on 'Transformania' (36:07) Mark Oppenheimer on the Judicial Services Commission (38:28) Mark Oppenheimer on defending the constitution (40:19) Mark Oppenheimer on his appearances before the Constitutional Court (43:29) Conclusion RESOURCES SUBSCRIBE to 'Constitutional Landmarks' on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ConstitutionalLandmarks LISTEN on your preferred podcast app: https://anchor.fm/constitutional-landmarks

Guest: Professor Lukas  Muntingh |  at Africa Criminal Justice Reform at the Dullah Omar Institute University of the Western Cape Former president Jacob Zuma was spotted out and about on Friday for the first time since he was granted medical parole, at Sibaya Casino in Durban. The Department of Correctional Services has confirmed that former president requested permission to leave Nkandla. According to Prof Lukas Muntingh whether he is allowed to be out in public depends on what his parole conditions say. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As scores of former president Jacob Zuma supporters were expected to descend to People's Park at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Thursday, it remains to be seen whether the man of the hour will himself be present. Some family members who spoke to TimesLIVE on Wednesday said there was confusion over the planned “welcome prayer”, as the former head of state was expecting a visit from religious leaders at his homestead in Nkandla, in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal, on the same day. During a press briefing last week, Jacob G Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said he could not confirm if Zuma would be at the event.

#StaceyNormansBigMusicChallenge is looking for another winner but will the luck run out? Or does Mandisa from Nkandla have what it takes to win?

Guest: Larry Claasen | Financial journalist and deputy director at Moneyweb With Jacob Zuma, facing a R18.2 million legal bill, Business Insider SA editor, Larry Claasen, suggests that the former president should consider turning his sprawling Nkandla homestead into a boutique hotel to cover the costs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Singabakho Nxumalo | Spokesperson at Department of Correctional Services   The Correctional Services Department on Wednesday confirmed that former president Jacob Zuma has applied for a temporary release from jail to attend his brother's funeral. Zuma's younger brother, Michael, who died last week following a long illness, would be buried in Nkandla on Thursday. Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, discusses what is required for such an application to be granted.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former President Jacob Zuma has been granted compassionate leave to attend his brothers funeral in Nkandla today. Michael Zuma passed away a week ago after battling an undisclosed illness for almost seven years. Zuma is serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court at the Estcourt Correctional Centre. For the latest on his application, correctional services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supporters of former president Jacob Zuma fired gunshots in the air as they led a motorcade from Eshowe to his rural homestead of Nkandla in northern KwaZulu-Natal to lend him support on Thursday. This after a momentous Constitutional Court judgment sentencing him to 15 months in prison for contempt of court. In this episode of Sunday Times Politics Weekly, we dive head-first into the former president's sentencing, what kind of threat his supporters pose, what might have led to his decision to disobey a direct court order and his potential underlying motives for refusing to appear before the state capture inquiry. 

SA has had a dramatic political week. In this episode of Sunday Times Politics Weekly, the Sunday Times politics team guides you through the ins and outs of SA's biggest political news stories of the week. (01:28) The latest updates from the state capture commission, including the failure of the estranged wife of former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, Norma Mngoma, to appear before the commission. (09:59) KwaZulu-Natal judge Dhaya Pillay's need to defend her private financial investments, her “friendship” with Pravin Gordhan and a lunch she had with Jacob Zuma at his homestead in Nkandla during her interview with the Judicial Service Commission on Tuesday. (26:50) How comfortable should President Cyril Ramaphosa feel in his post, with the likes of Ace Magashule or Jessie Duarte in the post of ANC secretary-general? 

Nothing is harder to divine in South Africa right now than what true true “balance of forces” are inside the ruling African National Congress. Put another way, who is in charge, the cowboys or the crooks? You can make a plausible case for secretary General Ace Magashule being poised to remove, or begin to move, President Cyril Ramaphosa from power or that Ramaphosa is wholly untroubled by Magashule and will easily see a second term in office. I this edition of Podcasts from the Edge, Peter Bruce talks to veteran political editor and now Financial Mail Deputy Editor Natasha Marrian and asks which way she thinks the currents inside the ANC wetlands are slowly moving. Like all smart political watchers, Marrian hedges her bets but, for now, reckons Ramaphosa has got the better of the Radical Economic Transformation (or RET) faction. “Have a look at what ANC voting block has been to visit Jacob Zuma at Nkandla recently,” she suggests. The Women's League, and they would, wouldn't they? This entertaining and wide-ranging discussion looks at the roadblocks Ramaphosa has to drive through this year…

Nick and Gabriel deliver a cheerful slice of despair about the state of the nation and explore the possibility that Zuma might go to jail

Listen to this edition of the Pan-African Journal hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW reports with dispatches on events surrounding the pledge by South African President Jacob Zuma to pay some of the costs related to upgrades on his residence at Nkandla; there has been another death associated with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Liberia months after the West African state was delcared free of the outbreak by the World Health Organization (WHO); the jobless rate in the United States rose by one-tenth of a percent during the month of March; and thousands of members of the Chicago Teachers Union staged a one-day strike along with mass demonstration through downtown demanding equitable salaries and working conditions. In the second and third hours we will commemorate the 48th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. During the course of these segments we focus on King's growing opposition to the war of genocide waged by the U.S. government against the people of Vietnam in 1967-68 along with one of his last sermons delivered on March 31, 1968 just five days before his martyrdom.