Update as at 16h30 SAST
400 Days - That's How Long Zimbabweans With Permits Have to Stay In South Africa
Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has appealed to the South African government to bear with Zimbabweans for 400 days before chasing them away from the country. This follows Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's directive that Zimbabwe exemption permits (ZEP) given to Zimbabwean citizens will not be valid from December 31, 2022. The minister said that the ZEP will not be renewed and that Zimbabweans who wish to remain in South Africa can apply for other permits appropriate for their particular status or situation. Approximately 182,000 Zimbabweans who hold the permit were given a year's grace to migrate to other permits. "ZEP holders whose applications are unsuccessful, will have to leave South Africa or face deportation," Cabinet has said.
President Gives Thumbs Up for Probe Into Financial Affairs at NSFAS
President Cyril Ramaphosa has today authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to look into the affairs of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The investigation is expected to look into corruption and maladministration in relation to the scheme's finances as well as funding allocation to students, Eye Witness News reports.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the organisation would be recovering financial losses suffered by the state.
Students Studying In Germany May Need More Money In the Bank
International students wishing to study in Germany, as well as those currently studying in this country, may soon have to prove they have more money in their blocked bank account to qualify for their German student visa or extend their student resident permit. A blocked bank account is how students can prove they will have the necessary financial means to support themselves while completing their higher education studies in the country. While currently, the amount required to be available in a blocked bank account per year is R174,283 (€10 332), Studying-in-Germany.org reports that starting from next winter semester, the amount required for a blocked bank account will increase to R188,757 (€11 208).
Competition Commission Raids Insurance Industry Heavyweights For Price Fixing
The Competition Commission on Thursday raided the premises of eight long-term insurance companies who are suspected of price fixing, Eye Witness News reports.
The commission said it has reasonable grounds to suspect that those companies, which include industry heavyweights -Old Mutual, Momentum and Discovery Limited, colluded to fix prices and trading conditions.
The commission said the search and seizure operations have been conducted as part of an ongoing investigation that was initiated by the commissioner in January 2021.
The companies are suspected of working together, to fix prices for products such as retirement annuities, life insurance cover, disability cover, and funeral assistance benefits.
Ready, Steady, Run! - Comrades Marathon is Here This Weekend
Comrades Marathon is back and will be run on Sunday, August 28. Local and international participants will be pounding the tar in a gruelling 90km "down run" from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The race was suspended for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic regulations. The last race was in 2019 with the "up race" from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, won by two local runners - Edward Mothibi in the men's race and Gerda Steyn in the women's race. Ultrarunner Steyn shattered the previous mark by more than 10 minutes, making her the first woman to break six hours.
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National Assembly. Independent Panel. President Cyril Ramaphosa Removal.
The National Assembly wants to speed up the Section 89 independent panel process into the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced in August 2022 that she would refer the African Transformation Movement's (ATM) motion to remove the president, to an independent panel. The speaker told the National Assembly programming committee on Thursday August 25, 2022 that members of parliament must nominate names for the panel before the September 1, 2022 deadline. The motion comes after a robbery at the president's Phala Phala farm in which over U.S.$4 million in hard currency - proceeds of cattle auctions - was stolen and never reported to the South African police. In South Africa, it is illegal for anyone to have foreign currency in their possession that exceeds R25,000 for a thirty-day period.
