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Top5 on Fin24: Brown under attack in state capture probe, and Ramaphosa wants 'New Deal'

Cape Town - Tuesday's top economic and finance reads.

‘Brown is the problem at Eskom’ – Eskom board spokesperson


Eskom board spokesperson Khulani Qoma has blamed Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown for the state capture crisis that has engulfed power utility Eskom, saying “she lies and she lies”.

“The problem here is the minister,” Qoma told the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises. “She is in the midst of water and yet says she says she is not wet”.

Qoma also accused Brown of interfering to prevent the suspension of then interim CEO Matshela Koko by the Eskom board earlier this year after the controversial Gupta family allegedly asked her to do so. 

Brown later released a statement to say that she had never taken instructions from anybody. She also hit out at the format of the state capture inquiry, saying it was excluding some voices. 

"Unless the Parliamentary inquiry into allegations of malfeasance at state owned companies gives those who have been accused of wrongdoing the opportunity to explain their actions it will serve no higher function than advancing political agendas and further undermining the economy,” she said.

Brown's deputy says Eskom state capture inquiry 'unfair'

Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises Ben Martins also hit out at revelations made at the Parliamentary inquiry into state capture at Eskom, in particular accusing the evidence leader in the process, advocate Nthuthuzela Vanara, of acting unfairly.

Martins said he was speaking out on behalf of the public enterprises ministry, including Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown. Both Brown and Martins have been implicated in state capture in testimony at the hearings.

Last week, suspended Eskom head of legal and compliance Suzanne Daniels told the committee that she had attended a meeting in Melrose Arch with Ajay Gupta, Gupta-lieutenant Salim Essa and Martins.

In the statement, Martins submitted an alibi of where he was when the alleged meeting took place. He stated he had attended the funeral service of government spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa on the day.

Ramaphosa proposes a New Deal for South Africa

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Gallo Im

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday evening said there must be an uncompromising rejection of corruption, patronage, cronyism and wastage.

"To those with vested interests in ineffective governance, deliberate misgovernance, hidden deals, the concentration of economic control and unfair labour practices, we say: no more!" he said.

Giving a lecture at the ANC Johannesburg Region Economic Colloquium at the Orlando East Communal Hall, Ramaphosa said the country was faced with the struggle for economic emancipation.

Ramaphosa proposed a "new deal" - aimed at accelerating radical transformation – to be struck between the government, business and South Africans.

Court allows mining communities to join Chamber’s case against DMR

Delegates talk in front of a display of a mine at

A High Court has ruled that mining-affected communities can join the application of the Chamber of Mines to have the Mining Charter reviewed.

The matter was heard at the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday.

The urgent application was launched by three mining communities - Mining Communities United in Action, Women from Mining Communities United in Action and Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa - after the Chamber did not consent to them joining its main application against the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR)

Water crisis will be biggest challenge for Cape hoteliers - manager

The water crisis in Cape Town and the Western Cape will undoubtedly be the largest and most significant challenge hoteliers will face over the coming months or years, according to Leon Meyer, new general manager at the Westin Cape Town - part of Marriott International.

Furthermore, as a long haul destination South Africa continues to experience strong competition from countries with more “airlift” and lower travel restrictions, he pointed out.

Despite this, South Africa’s popularity among travellers from all over the world continues to increase.

Other challenges faced by the local hospitality industry, in his view, include low consumer confidence due to the current economic climate and Cape Town experiencing an "influx" of new hotels, which could lead to an oversupply of room inventory in the city.

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