Ajay and Atul Gupta. Photo: Flickr / Damanpreet Singh

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Tuesday 8 December

In the latest news in South Africa on Tuesday 8 December, the NPA admits it’s struggling to get the Guptas, and more bad news for the EFF.

by Adrian Ephraim

08-12-2020 05:30

in News

Ajay and Atul Gupta. Photo: Flickr / Damanpreet Singh

We have all the latest breaking news and headlines in South Africa on Tuesday 8 December, wrapped up for you right here.

It’s been a dramatic start to the new week. The NPA admits it’s not any closer to catching the Guptas, the High Court poured scorn on Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s report into the controversial Sars Rogue Unit – and a Port Elizabeth grillhouse gets its marketing tactics all wrong.

And if your Monday wasn’t off to a fast enough start, the Western Cape Education Department found no evidence of racism in the event that caused all the stink at Brackenfell High School a few weeks ago.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Tuesday 8 December

WHEN WILL THE GUPTA BROTHERS BE EXTRADITED? IT WON’T BE SOON

Bringing the Gupta brothers back to South Africa may prove trickier than getting Jacob Zuma to sit still at the Zondo Commission for longer than 10 minutes. Either way, the NPA has been left wholly frustrated in their bid to secure accountability for the ‘state capture years’ – and the corruption kingpins remain as untouchable as ever.

NPA spokesperson, Sipho Ngwema, has given the nation an update on how their operation to get each Gupta to face the music on our shores is going. Well, with all due respect, things aren’t going swimmingly. The crime-fighting authority hinted on Monday that they’ve been left ‘frustrated’ with the UAE, who have not complied with requests made by NPA officials.

On top of that, Ngwema quite brazenly admitted that Hawks are ‘some way off’ producing their final, finished case against the Gupta family – and that they may not submit their complete dockets until the State Capture Inquiry reaches its conclusion next year. The representative told SABC that the extradition process ‘is complicated – and hard to work with’.

CONCLUSION BY PUBLIC PROTECTOR IS ‘WITHOUT FOUNDATION’

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria took the decision, on Monday 7 December 2020, to set aside Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s report into the controversial Sars Rogue Unit.

On 5 July 2019, the Public Protector released a report “On an Investigation into Allegations of Violation of the Executive Ethics Code by Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, as well as allegations of Maladministration, Corruption and Improper Conduct by the South African Revenue Services”.

Apart from the adverse findings made against Gordhan, the Report also implicates Visvanathan Pillay and George Nkgakane Vigil Magashula, both former employees at the South African Revenue Services (SARS), in serious misconduct, maladministration and criminality.

The judgement came after an application to review and set aside the Report and was launched on 10 July 2019 by Gordhan.

The court said that the conclusion by the Public Protector “that the allegation that Minister Gordhan during his tenure as the Commissioner of SARS established an intelligence unit in violation of the South African Intelligence prescripts is substantiated,” is without foundation, particularly as the conclusion is based on “discredited reports” and “unsubstantiated facts”.

SA restaurant under fire for ‘insensitive’ Pearl Harbour offer

If this is a marketing strategy, it was incredibly risky. But the Grillers restaurant in Port Elizabeth came up with a cringeworthy attempt to pay tribute to the 79th anniversary of Pearl Harbour – which featured milkshake-themed celebrations. The posts have since been deleted from their social media channels.

A total of 2 403 people were killed during the Japanese attack on the strategic American military post back in 1941. It was one of the most consequential moments in human history. The US then joined the fight alongside the allies, and wreaked revenge upon Japan by dropping atom bombs on their major cities – effectively speeding up the end of World War 2.

The casualties piled-up, before armed conflict ceased in 1945. It’s one of the most devastating attacks to ever take place on American soil, and in terms of fatalities, only 9/11 can surpass the final toll. So offering customers the chance to ‘celebrate’ this event with a slightly cheaper milkshake isn’t going to sit well with everybody.

For R28.90, customers are urged to ‘think back’ to when Pearl Harbour was attacked once they’ve picked up a milkshake. It’s a bizarre moment – even in a year like this – and fails to take the need for nuance into account.

Brackenfell: No evidence of racism, WC Education Dept finds

The Department of Basic Education in the Western Cape has found that there is no evidence of racism at Brackenfell High School.

Education MEC Debbie Schafer said a report by the department, which clears the school of the allegations, would soon be made available. Schafer said investigations pointed to the event not including the school at all.

“The event was arranged at a private venue (a wine farm) on 17 October 2020. Tickets cost R500 each. I have seen the invitation, and there is no reference to the school at all. It specified that it was limited to 100 people, after the venue advised that they could increase the number of attendees from 50 to 100 as a result of the relaxation of COVID regulations,” she said.

Brackenfell High School found itself in the centre of a racism scandal after it emerged that parents and some teachers held an unofficial and private matric dance, which was only attended by white pupils.

CYBERCRIMES BILL TO CRIMINALISE REVENGE PORN

The Cybercrimes Bill is just one swish of a presidential pen away from becoming law. Approved by Parliament last week, this new legislation will clamp-down hard on those who use the internet for criminal purposes. And when Cyril Ramaphosa officially signs this legislation into existence, he’ll bring in a set of protections against revenge porn and ‘illicit messages’.

The Bill specifically addresses the sending of intimate images over any electronic communications platform without the subject’s consent, classifying this offence as revenge porn. The term has sprung up in the past few years, as victims who share their most personal and private images with partners or friends have had their trust shattered in devastating fashion.

The ‘leaking’ of these nudes online exposes a person to harassment, ridicule, and a gross violation of their rights to privacy. The Cybercrime Bill looks at these messages, shared without consent, and aims to punish those who distribute the intimate images at the expense of the subject’s mental well-being.