Cape Town —
Update as at 16h30 SAST
National Assembly Speaker Digs In Heels on Phala Phala Inquiry
National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has insisted that she forwarded sufficient reasons to the DA on why she rejected the party's request to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm in the Waterberg in Limpopo province.
DA Leader John Steenhuisen said that the Speaker's unwillingness to set up the ad-hoc committee, goes against the Zondo Commission of inquiry recommendations that criticised the party for not setting up such committees to investigate its own party leaders. The Speaker reportedly rejected the requests from both the Democratic Alliance and the African Transformation Movement because "they were unclear on what should be investigated". Meanwhile the ATM has approached Advocate Malesela Teffo to submit a sworn affidavit to Independent Police Investigative Directorate, IPID, to investigate top cops for their involvement in the alleged Phala Phala "cover-up".
Tutu Foundation Condemns MJC Mini Fatwa on Same-Sex Relationships
The Muslim Judicial Council pronouncements on same sex relationships has been met with strong opposition not only from the LGBTQIA+ community but the Desmond Tutu Foundation has also added its voice, objecting to the manner in which the LGBTQIA+ community is treated. The MJC's Fatwa Committee said Islam "unequivocally prohibit same-sex actions and, by extension, same-sex marriages". The committee said that those who contest the ruling have consequently "taken themselves out of the fold of Islam," The Tutu Foundation said that God is not a Christian, neither a homophobe.
SARS Strike Starts Today
The Public Servants Association has said its members embarked on an indefinite strike from today, in protest at a 1.39% wage offer increase. In May this year, 5,400 PSA members held lunchtime pickets, followed by marches across the country on May 25 and 26, 2022. The association said government office bearers received a backdated salary increase of 3%, Eskom workers received a 7% increase despite load shedding, while SARS employees who collected over R17 billion more to government coffers were offered a paltry 1.39%. SARS has reportedly closed 18 branches thus far in the wake of the strike.
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Airports Company Launches Mobile App to Help Passengers
The Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has unveiled an airport mobile app that will allow passengers to get all the information they need when travelling, at the touch of a button. Acsa says the new, innovative app will enhance the customer experience for Acsa passengers as they move through airports or seek travel-related information.
ANC Needs Cleansing Ceremony to Appease Ancestors Says Baleka Mbete
The former speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete said recently that the ruling African National Congress needs a ceremony to cleanse it of its current troubles. Mbete, who was appointed to a task team investigating the defunct ANC Women's League, said the cleansing campaign must be multi-sectoral and be from local to national levels. Mbete was also the country's deputy president after former president Thabo Mbeki was recalled by the ANC in 2008.
