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As part of its commitment to accountability and transparency, non-governmental organisation My Vote Counts on Thursday launched an online party funding tracking tool, Whose Vote Counts, which aims to provide voters with information on private political donors and their business interests.

Speaking during the launch, My Vote Counts director Minhaj Jeenah explained that the tool covered donations made in-kind, as well as monetary donations worth over R100 000 over the last two financial years.

He added that the data included the identity of donors, their businesses and through which channels they funded parties. This did not include gala dinners and dinner tickets.

In April 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Political Party Funding Act, which regulates public and private funding of political parties.

The Act establishes funds to provide political parties represented in Parliament and legislatures with funding to undertake their work, and it also requires that donations be disclosed by parties and donors to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Since 2021, 22% (or over R61-million) of all disclosed private funding donations has been from the mining industry followed by the energy industry at 19.4% (R54-million), and 16% from online gambling businessman Martin Moshal, who spent just over R44-million.

The Whose Vote Counts tool was developed by civic technology organisation Open Up to assist media houses in their reporting when tracking and assessing the relationships between donors and parties.

"Working with an investigative journalist, we gathered as much information as we could and put together a report. Open Up then did the incredible work of putting this information into the easily understandable format that is," Jeenah said.

He revealed that last year, activist organisation Ndifuna Ukwazi approached My Vote Counts wanting to know if any funder linked to a property development in Cape Town was also linked to the Democratic Alliance (DA). Public health and law initiative Health Justice Initiative also wanted to know if the organisation knew of pharmaceutical or health insurance companies that were linked to the African National Congress (ANC).

"Other organisations approached us. prompting us to develop something that helps civil society, the public and journalists better understand the relationship between parties, donors and donors' business interests," Jeenah explained.

He said with the Whose Vote Counts tool users could see not only the sources of funding to political parties and their numerous interests, but also understand in more detail how trusts were set up to fund political parties. It did this through graphs and other visuals, he added.

"While not all private funding can be assumed to be for dubious reasons, it is important to zoom in. For example, is there a link between Martin Moshal's wallet, the DA, and the online gambling Bill? What about Shell, the West Coast, and the ANC? United Manganese?," he questioned.

Jeenah noted that there were also donors who were not necessarily "household names" who seem to have an interest in funding political parties, such as the Mashaba family, and investment company CEO Khandani Msibi.

"We will look into working with partners such as Corruption Watch SA to gather this information. Transparency is only part of this work, we will strengthen the accountability aspect of this tool as we want the people to have an equal say in decisions that are made by them," said Jeenah.

He added that the IEC had also mentioned in the past that they would set up a team of investigators and work with fiscal institutions to maximise party funding transparency and ensure that disclosures from parties were truthful. The journey to maximum party funding transparency was not done yet, he said.

In May, the organisation approached the Western Cape High Court to get the Political Party Funding Act amended to allow for the disclosure of all private donations made to political parties,...

The KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg has ruled in favour of senior State advocate Billy Downer and News24 specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan in their enforcement application, halting actions relating to former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecution.

It effectively means that the court has ruled in favour of the enforcement order, preventing Zuma from further pursuing private prosecution against Maughan and Downer while he appeals the ruling that invalidated his private prosecution.

Maughan and Downer are scheduled to appear for their private prosecution summons on Friday.

Zuma's lawyer Dali Mpofu has previously indicated that he would exercise his right to automatically appeal the enforcement order, if it was granted.

Maughan's lawyer previously said that, if the private prosecution summons was actioned, it would leave the courts previous ruling to set it aside as "empty and vacuous".

Zuma was outside the country, allegedly for medical treatment in Russia, but his foundation has since stated that he has returned to South Africa.

Facts in judgment and Stalingrad strategy

Addressing the issue of Zuma's Stalingrad strategy, the judges said the former president had never disavowed this defence, "despite being afforded several opportunities to do so".

They said that Zuma's private prosecution had served as a precursor to an application for the recusal of Downer as prosecutor in the main trial.

"This, in our view, clearly evidences the Stalingrad strategy. We also note that [Maughan and Downer] are not challenging the constitutionality of the private prosecution, but are merely exercising their common law rights not to be subjected to an unlawful prosecution which is an abuse of power."

The judges also stated that Zuma did not address the assertions of irreparable harm from Downer, but instead raised "irrelevant considerations that Downer is biased and unable to conduct a fair trial".

They noted that Maughan had raised issues of the infringement on her rights to freedom of movement, her personal liberty, and suffering social media abuse due to the private prosecution.

"This abuse has not been denied by [Zuma]," the judges said.

The judges added that there was no harm to Zuma in granting the enforcement order, saying that if he won his appeal against the private prosecution being set aside, he could just reinstitute charges.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to speak out against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and the "party's radical and dangerous vitriol".

This after Malema sang 'Kill the Boer' during the EFF's tenth-anniversary celebrations over the weekend, in Johannesburg.

In an open letter addressed to the President, Steenhusien urged Ramaphosa to advance the rights of all South Africans and ensure the well-being of the Republic.

"I urge you to be as courageous as those who came before you to speak out against the very same injustice and racial division which scars our country's broken past. For if you are the first citizen of the nation, then you must set the example against hateful prejudice and violence, especially when used as a dangerous political tool in our free and fair democracy," said Steenhuisen.

He emphasised that this was not the first time that Malema has incited anarchy and citizen-on-citizen violence.

"It is not the first time that he has called for a civil war and wanton bloodshed for political gain, and it will certainly not be the last. But given the tightrope that South Africa now walks between a nation in pursuit of peace and unity, and a people divided by hatred and intolerance, this must be the last time that you remain silent on Julius Malema and his vitriolic and fascist hatred for his fellow citizen," Steenhuisen added.

South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk also joined the fray and, in a post on X, he accused Malema of encouraging the genocide of white people. He also urged Ramaphosa to speak out.

Steenhuisen said the world was watching as Malema undid the South African dream with absolute impunity. He said South Africans now cowered away from each other, fearful of their fellow man.

"All because you refuse to call out and condemn those who dare to spit in the face of Nelson Mandela and the sacrifices he and many others made for the South Africa we all so desperately want to call our own," he said.

Steenhuisen highlighted that the longer Malema used racial nationalism and Chavez-style rhetoric to pull South Africa apart, the more disgusted and dissuaded investors will become with South Africa and its economy.

He added that Ramaphosa's continued silence on Malema as chief antagonist to the South African dream was deafening.

"In the nearly five years since you took up office in 2019, your refusal to condemn Julius Malema's repeated hateful utterances has shown our country what kind of man you are, and indeed what kind of President you are: one who seemingly condones racial division and hatred, and whose oath of office means little to nothing when the blood of innocent citizens is shed at the command of one man and his red cult," he said.

He said Ramaphosa's failure to condemn Malema was an indictment on his responsibility and capacity to uphold the very foundations of the South African Constitution which he helped forge, and to which he had pledged unwavering allegiance.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed off on a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged misconduct in the KwaZulu-Natal premier's office.

In the investigation, which was gazetted on Friday, the unit will look into the appointment of a consultant that supported six provincial priority programmes, including the Luwamba Wellness Centre and Operation Sukuma Sakhe projects.

Although the unit has been mandated to look into transgressions committed from April 2007 to date, the gazette states that investigators may also probe offences committed before then.

Former African National Congress bigwig S'bu Ndebele served as the premier from 2004 to 2009. He was succeeded by Zweli Mkhize from 2009 to 2013, after which Senzo Mchunu, Willies Mchunu, Sihle Zikalala and the incumbent, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, served single terms.

According to the gazette, the probe will zoom in on all irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by "contractors, employees or officials of the office of the premier in KwaZulu-Natal, or the suppliers, service providers or any other person or entity, relating to the allegations".

"The investigation will also look to see if there was any unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Office of the Premier in Kwa-Zulu Natal, or losses suffered by the provincial office or the state," said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

In addition, investigators will consider "failures" and make systematic recommendations to prevent future losses.

"The SIU is empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a special tribunal in its name to correct any wrongdoing uncovered during its investigations caused by acts of corruption, fraud, or maladministration," Kganyago said.

"In line with the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU will refer any evidence pointing to criminal conduct it uncovers to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action."

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Wednesday declared the party's tenth-anniversary celebration a success and said the EFF is preparing for the 2024 elections.

Last week, the EFF held a gala dinner and filled the FNB Stadium with almost 100 000 supporters as part of its tenth-anniversary celebrations.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Malema said the success of the rally showed that there was no debate about the success of the party.

"It was a show of intent and force that led to the most measurable political events at the FNB Stadium since the funeral of Chris Hani. The EFF is proud of the monumental feat it achieved at FNB Stadium and the success is not a claim made by the EFF on its own but confirmed by the stadium management itself. We can confirm, and this is a figure received from the management of the stadium, that there were 97 436 attendees at the tenth anniversary of the EFF. There were more than 6 000 at a tent overflow which in total accounts to more than 100 000 people who attended the rally of the EFF physically," said Malema.

The EFF leader saluted all attendees and public representatives who brought their constituencies to what he called an historic occasion.

Meanwhile, Malema warned of consequences for EFF public representatives who failed to execute their mandates ahead of the EFF's anniversary celebrations, including selling gala dinner tables and procuring transport.

He said the EFF would not tolerate individuals who were unable to make meaningful contributions towards the party's activities.

On the death of two attendees at the celebration, Malema said the party sent its deepest condolences to their families and their loved ones.

The EFF leadership had already met with their families and preparations were underway to honour the two lives that were lost after celebrating what Malema called "a decade of unbroken struggle".

The two people who lost their lives are Mapaseka Sebolawa from the North West and Moses Mazamulela from Gauteng.

ELECTIONS

Malema said the ballot box battle had begun as the party prepares for the 2024 national and provincial election through massive consultations with all sectors of society to deliver a people's manifesto.

Malema said the upcoming elections would be the most important since the country's democratic transition in 1994.

He said the EFF preferred a grand opposition coming together to replace the "kleptocratic" ANC government.

He encouraged South Africans to vote for the EFF, which he said would usher in economic freedom.

Meanwhile, the EFF is also working on a documentary to show the evolution of the organisation over the last decade, as well as provide in-depth insight into the life and times of the party.

The office of national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola says a senior police officer will investigate Major-General Feroz Khan's attendance at the Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF's) gala dinner last week.

Khan is the second-in-command of the police's pivotal Crime Intelligence division.

He attended the EFF's lavish dinner at Emperor's Palace, east of the Johannesburg CBD, on Thursday evening.

The event was one of the political party's gatherings to mark its 10th anniversary.

Last week, News24 revealed that Khan's ticket to the event was purchased by Mohammed Sayed, who is said to be Khan's friend.

Khan had earlier told News24 he was attending the event for work.

EFF head of international relations Godrich Gardee, responding to a News24 article about Khan, tweeted that the publication had "blown" Khan's cover.

He wrote: "He is gathering intelligence in funerals and weddings and wherever many people gather. He is doing his job undercover. You are exposing the work of State security. You blew his cover and guilty of transgressing the intelligence act... shame on you."

Sayed is business partners with Adriano Mazzotti, who is also close to Malema and has donated money to the EFF in the past.

Malema and his family have in the past lived in properties owned by Mazzotti.

On Tuesday, Masemola's office confirmed a "senior police officer has been appointed to investigate this matter".

Talk Radio 702 host Clement Manyathela quoted Masemola as saying Khan had told the police's top brass that he was on official duty at the gala dinner. The police chief added that they later heard that Khan's ticket had been paid for by someone else.

Policies governing police and their activities prohibit officers from publicly supporting or associating with political parties or movements.

However, the policies do not bar police employees from attending meetings of political parties, provided they don't wear their uniform while doing so.

Solidarity Research Institute economic researcher Theuns du Buisson said on Tuesday that his union is in discussions with US diplomats to ensure that South Africa is not kicked out of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) which would lead to job losses.

This comes after reports that South Africa allegedly provided weapons to Russia.

The US is one of the countries that has been assisting Ukraine to fight back against Russia.

Du Buisson says Agoa, which is expected to be renewed in September, offers extremely favourable trade terms to African countries, including South Africa, and argues that the government's "nonchalant attitude" about the Agoa agreement could have a devastating impact on many jobs and industries.

Solidarity has compiled a report, which found that, among other things, South Africa's exports to the US amounted to R178-billion in 2022, of which 20% benefited from the Agoa agreement.

Du Buisson avers that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) despises South Africa's relationship with the US which is the country's second-largest trading partner.

"Exports to the USA put food on the table for one in 37 South African families. Agoa currently provides 85 000 jobs, many of which are in extremely vulnerable sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. Too many people depend on the income they generate from this deal for it to be ignored. The US must know that the ANC government does not always embody the will of the people or act in their best interest. The report was very well received in Washington," said du Buisson.

Solidarity-AGOA Report Attached.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who is the owner and CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, has accused Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema of prompting the genocide of white people in South Africa.

In a brief but heated back-and-forth on the social media platform on Monday evening, Musk condemned Malema for chanting the struggle song Kill the boer during the party's 10th-anniversary rally at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg

In a post on X, Musk bashed Malema for "openly pushing for the genocide of white people in South Africa".

He also questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa's silence on the matter.

Malema told the platform owner: "O bolela masepa (You are talking shit)."

Addressing the outrage against the EFF and Malema, the party shared a statement published in August 2022 following a High Court ruling that dismissed a case by civil rights organisation AfriForum, which argued that Malema was guilty of inciting violence and hate speech by singing the controversial song.

In 2020, AfriForum lodged a complaint against Malema at the Equality Court to have the song declared hate speech and unfair discrimination.

After the ruling, the EFF statement read: "In a landmark judgment, the court ruled today that AfriForum failed to show that the song's lyrics contravene the Equality Act or demonstrate a clear intention to harm or incitement. Furthermore, the court ruled that the song must be protected under the rubric of free speech, and debate around the song must be left to political contestation within society."

"The court ruled that declaring the song hate speech would curtail freedom of expression. Therefore, the court dismissed that the song constitutes hate speech and ordered that AfriForum must pay the legal costs."

AfriForum has since appealed the ruling and its case will be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal in September.

But others have come to Malema's defence, with various X users lambasting Musk for condemning the singing of a struggle song.

EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo shared a video of the late political activist Peter Mokaba, who also chanted the song and explained its significance.

The video places Malema and Mokaba side by side singing Kill the boer, with another clip of Mokaba explaining the song's meaning, specifically the word "boer".

"The question of 'boer' has changed in content on the basis of the reality of the situation and our policy. It has always meant the enemy as a system of white supremacy and has never meant any individual on the basis of colour.

"Even as we chanted these slogans during the armed struggle, they never drove us to the houses of the whites or the farmers as farmers, as individuals, to kill them. Now, what has changed?" said Mokaba.

EFF head of international relations Godrich Gardee also joined the conversation, accusing Musk of attempting to twist history.

He wrote: "You know that it is a heritage liberation struggle song as old as the fight against white supremacy and the racist apartheid government of whites pre-1994. You are a revisionist who twists history to feed into the frenzy of perpetuating white economic domination of Africans!"

On Monday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it would report Malema and the African National Congress to the UN Human Rights Council.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the party would be opening charges against Malema for inciting violence and civil war.

Meanwhile, Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald opened a criminal case against Malema on Monday.

The African National Congress (ANC) Veterans' League noted that the party cannot invest its energy in coalition politics, as coalitions don't work for the people.

The Veterans' League held its third National Conference in Ekurhuleni, where the new leadership was instated and resolutions for the next five years were passed.

Snuki Zikalala was re-elected as president, Mavuso Msimang was elected deputy president, Ilva MacKay-Langa was elected secretary general, Connie September was elected deputy secretary General and Fazel Randera was elected treasurer general.

In media briefing on Monday, the ANC Veterans' League explained that the Conference called for the party to immediately review its participation in coalition arrangements, saying coalitions are costly for the ANC and are not consistent with the Framework adopted by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC).

The Veterans' League added that the Conference reasserted the need for an outright victory for the ANC in the 2024 elections.

Also discussed were the problems of instability and dysfunctionality in hung councils and local government coalitions, which seriously impact service delivery.

"The Conference welcomed the Framework approved by the ANC NEC and the nine principles contained within it. They, thus, expressed their disappointment that some of the coalitions in which the ANC is involved are not informed by the Framework adopted by the NEC of the ANC and this is discrediting the movement in the eyes of ordinary people," the League stated.

It pointed out that ANC veterans from all walks of life, and from all parts of the country committed themselves to work tirelessly to build ANC structures and help with problems facing their respective communities and the country.

"Time and again delegates called on the ANC to be a disciplined and coherent organisation which is free from corruption, factionalism and political violence. [Veterans] committed themselves to be a resource for the organisation, especially in terms of cadre development and political education," the League said.

It said several concrete and implementable proposals were made to renew the ANC. These include tightening membership criteria and strengthening the disciplinary structures and Integrity Commission.

Renewable energy company G7 has failed to interdict Eskom from applying its new grid access rules. Had the interdict been granted, the progress of new energy projects, both those planned by the private sector and those commissioned to supply Eskom, would have stalled.

Judge Basheer Vally dismissed the application for an interdict, with costs, on Monday. Part B of the case - on the substantive issue of Eskom's authority to change grid rules - is still to be argued.

SA urgently needs to bring new generation capacity onto the grid to fill the supply and demand gap. Privately initiated projects are the fastest way of adding more megawatts to the system, but these, too, need to connect to the Eskom transmission grid.

Eskom changed the rules on 27 June due to concerns that some developers were "hogging" the grid, and although they had been given access, they were not ready to proceed with their projects. The grid has become increasingly constrained, especially in areas optimal for renewable energy.

G7 argued that the change from a first come, first served basis to a first ready first served arrangement placed the two wind farms it has in development in jeopardy.

It said Eskom did not have the authority to change the grid access rules, which is the sole responsibility of the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa). While G7 failed to persuade the court to grant an urgent interdict, it will now argue the substantive part of its case to set aside the new grid rules.

The ruling will come as a relief to Eskom and the National Energy Crisis Committee, which is seeking to fast-track new projects to reduce the intensity of loadshedding.