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Daily news update: Zuma tax records, Zondo vs Fraser and Ballito Rage cancelled
Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.
Former president Jacob Zuma at the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture in Braamfontein. Picture: Neil McCartney
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Public vs private interest: Sars fights to keep Zuma’s tax records secret
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has filed their papers with the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in a bid to appeal a high court ruling relating to former president Jacob Zuma’s tax records.
Sars was ordered by the Pretoria High Court two weeks ago to hand over Zuma’s tax records to investigative media houses, amaBhungane and Financial Mail.
The publications had brought an application to access the former president’s records, after Sars refused their requests for access.
Judge Norman Davis ruled Sars must supply the publications with the tax records for the periods between 2010 and 2018.
Zondo dismisses Arthur Fraser’s application to cross-examine witnesses
The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, has dismissed the application of former Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser to cross-examine certain witnesses.
In October, Fraser claimed in a letter that he was never given a chance to give evidence before Zondo to defend himself against witnesses who had implicated him at the commission.
“The fact that in three and a half years, Deputy Chief Justice Zondo did not even find a day for me to testify, demonstrates his lack of impartiality,” wrote Fraser on why Zondo should not be appointed as chief justice.
ANC withdraws coalition agreement in Kannaland over re-election of rapist mayor
The African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly withdrawn its coalition agreement after Alderman Jeffrey Donson of the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) was re-elected mayor of Kannaland.
“We have mandated the negotiating team to process the decision of the provincial leadership to withdraw from the coalition. Yesterday the provincial co-ordinator [Ronalda Nalumango] visited Kannaland to affect this decision,” ANC provincial spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni told TimesLIVE on Wednesday.
EXPLAINER: Shell’s seismic tests in the Wild Coast
In seeming stark contradiction to the recent 26th United Nations climate change conference (COP26) outcomes, South Africa will from today be at the mercy of Royal Dutch Shell’s planned 3D seismic survey in the Transkei exploration area off the east coast.
Seismic surveys, or seismic blasting, involves loud, repetitive airgun blasts being hurtled towards the seafloor as often as every 10 seconds.
According to Shell’s Exploration Right 12/3/242, the blasts are set to continue over the next four to five months.
World Aids Day: Practise safe sex, don’t use expired condoms
On World Aids Day, the South African Bureau of Standards (Sabs) is calling on all South Africans to practise safe sex and use condoms.
Sabs wishes to remind everyone of the prevalence of HIV/Aids in South Africa and urges everyone to use Sabs-certified condoms.
The reminder follows after Statistics South Africa confirmed the total number of people in the country living with HIV now stands at 8.2 million.
Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic shifted the immediate focus away from the fight against HIV/Aids. Unfortunately, the battle is far from over.
Ballito Rage cancelled after guests, staff test positive for Covid-19
Despite the Ballito Rage festival opening on Tuesday with Covid-19 protocols in place, organisers have made the decision to cancel the annual celebration.
The news was confirmed to The Citizen by Ballito Rage spokesperson Darren Sanders.
According to a statement received, a testing facility located near the event site found 32 guests and four staff members produced positive results for Covid-19.
The Department of Health was at the Ballito Rage site, and has started to conduct contact tracing and isolation of infected guests and staff members.
Taxi industry backs Ramaphosa over mulled Covid vaccines mandate
The taxi industry has weighed on government’s plan to introduce Covid-19 vaccine mandates, with the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) saying they would support barring unvaccinated individuals from accessing public transport.
This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Sunday, during a televised address to the nation, that government had established a task team that would carry out broad consultations on making vaccination mandatory for specific public facilities and areas.
