South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Tuesday 22 December

Is it beginning to feel like Christmas yet? There’s plenty to suggest that this year will be a Christmas like no other as South Africans wait to see how a new variant in the coronavirus, and the second wave of infections impact on their festive celebrations.

Looking at the latest news stories from across South Africa on Tuesday 22 December 2020, it appears that the Guptas will not be found anywhere near the State Capture Inquiry, according to the Commission’s chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, and confusion over the curfew time in some parts of the country.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Tuesday 22 December  

Gupta’s unlikely to appear before state capture commission – Zondo

State Capture Inquiry Chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, has dampened hopes that South Africa will ever get to see the corruption-accused Gupta family in the now extremely familiar chambers where he has for three years been probing alleged corruption and looting of state funds during Jacob Zuma’s presidency. 

During a media briefing on Monday 21 December where he provided updates on the work of the Commission, Zondo said that the Guptas – who are currently fugitives of justice hiding out in the UAE – are highly unlikely to return to the country where they are accused of the mountainous acts of treason and corruption and provide testimony. 

Ace failed to ensure accountability, says PP’s second Vrede report

Former Free State Premier Ace Magashule failed to execute his oversight responsibilities in the failed Vrede dairy farm project, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found.

Releasing her findings Monday, Mkhwebane said the aim of her investigation was to look at two main issues: whether there was political involvement in the project by the Free State government; and whether such involvement amounted to improper conduct or maladministration

It appears, however, that Magashule and then agriculture MEC Mosebenzi Zwane got off lightly for their involvement in the now-infamous Vrede dairy project, even after the pair were found to be central to the scheme from which money intended for black emerging farmers flowed to a Gupta-run company named Estina.

Contentious ANC birthday bash cancelled as COVID-19 spreads

After sparking widespread cries of bureaucratic hypocrisy last week, the African National Congress (ANC) have seen fit to cancel their plans to celebrate their 109th birthday bash next month.

The gathering was billed for 8 January 2021 in the Seleteng village, Limpopo, but the sheer audacity of the proposed event – which usually sees nearly 1 000 members congregate –  sent South African citizens into a frenzy. Government regulations recently reintroduced stipulate that gatherings may not host more than 100 people at indoor gatherings, but this change came after the announcement of the event. 

Pension schemes must invest more in govt’s build projects – SACP

The SA Communist Party (SACP) says South Africa’s retirement and pension fund schemes must significantly scale-up investment in the government’s infrastructure programme.

The party made the call after a sitting of its Central Committee meeting over the weekend.

While it welcomed the prioritization of infrastructure development in the government’s economic reconstruction and recovery plan, the SACP believes that relying on so-called blended finance mechanisms “will prove to be a problem.”

LATEST WEATHER FORECAST, Tuesday 22 September  

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

LIVE TRAFFIC UPDATES FOR CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN

Stay one step ahead of the traffic by viewing our live traffic updates here.

Horoscope today

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip and lucky numbers for Tuesday 22 December .