Gold Smugglers Use Top South African Banks, Bribes to Launder Money
An investigation by Al Jazeera has revealed that key officials at three major South African banks - Standard Bank, Absa and Sasfin - are helping a gold smuggling gang launder millions of dollars of dirty cash in exchange for regular bribes. It was uncovered that the officers at the banks received payments from a money launderer known as "Mo Dollars", who is employed by Zimbabwean cigarette tycoon Simon Rudland. Mo Dollars is said to have transferred millions of unaccounted-for dollars to various companies internationally, which are run by Rudland's partners, using fake invoices and identities. The revelation is part of Gold Mafia, a four-part investigation by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit ( I-Unit ), which shows how multiple gangs smuggle gold from Zimbabwe and use it to launder vast amounts of money.
Public Civil Servants Accept New Pay Deal
After months of negotiations and strikes, the government has agreed to give public servants a 7.5% pay rise starting from April 1, 2023. The Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents almost a quarter of a million workers, had initially demanded a 10% increase. While the offer is not everything they had hoped for, Reuben Maleka, the acting deputy general manager of the PSA, believes that the 7.5% raise is a reasonable compromise given the current economic conditions, reports BBC.
Research Finds That One in Five South African Families Sends Someone Out to Beg
TimesLive reports that research by Wits University in Johannesburg has found that one in five households in South Africa is resorting to begging for food due to food insecurity, which is fueling a mental health crisis. The study analysed the various coping mechanisms used by food-insecure South Africans and their impact on mental health, and found that begging for food was associated with the highest risk for anxiety and depression. The research also showed how food security varied by province, race, income, and education, with the most affected being those who were uneducated, unemployed, and received a low monthly income. The researchers suggest that public measures to address mental health should consider reductions in food insecurity as part of their strategy.
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Police Release Three Men Arrested in Connection with AKA Murder
Three men who were taken into custody along with two others in Belhar, Cape Town, have been released, according to their lawyer. The arrests were reportedly made in connection with the murders of rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his friend, Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane. The arrest of the five men has been mysterious, with little information released by the police, but DNA and fingerprints of one suspect were found in the getaway vehicle after the shooting, reports News24. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the police didn't have any further information "because we don't know anything about the arrests". Police sources in KwaZulu-Natal told News24 that the men had not been linked to the murders, but that investigators were determining whether they were wanted for other crimes.
