Making headlines: DA to bring no confidence motion against Magashule; Mabuza and Duarte sing from different hymn sheets on Ramaphosa; And, NPA deny Zwane and Gupta indictment

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Paige Müller.

DA to bring no confidence motion against Magashule

The Democratic Alliance yesterday said that it would bring a motion of no-confidence against Free State Premier Ace Magashule in relation to the Vrede Dairy scandal.

On Friday, the Hawks raided Magashule’s office, as well as the provincial office of the Department of Agriculture. Last week, News24 revealed that the Krynaauws Lust farm, near Vrede, was placed under the curatorship of NPA's Asset Forfeiture Unit.

The Free State agricultural department – under then MEC Mosebenzi Zwane – allegedly paid R220-million to the Guptas in what the AFU calls a "scheme designed to defraud and steal monies from the department".

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said in a statement containing remarks he made while visiting Botshabelo in the Free State that they had begun with the process of moving a motion of no confidence against Ace Magashule in the Free State legislature.

Maimane said the DA caucus will meet on Tuesday to finalise the details of such before informing the speaker of the [provincial] legislature.

Mabuza and Duarte sing from different hymn sheets on Ramaphosa

As one ANC top official has distanced the party from comments made by its newly elected president Cyril Ramaphosa, another has vowed to stand firmly by his side.

It appears as though the ANC’s new leadership collective, which was voted for during the ANC’s 54th national elective conference in December, is already failing at showing a united front.

This is in spite of committing to its supporters and the country to unite and rebuild the organisation. 

ANC deputy president David "DD" Mabuza spent the weekend affirming his support of Ramaphosa, telling delegates in Modimolle during the ANC’s January 8 birthday celebrations that he would protect the liberation movement’s president.

The ANC’s deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte, on the other hand, appeared to be singing from a different hymn sheet.

In an interview with News24’s sister publication City Press, she distanced the ANC from comments Ramaphosa made on the BBC’s Hard Talk while in Davos for the World Economic Forum.

And, NPA deny Zwane and Gupta indictment

The National Prosecuting Authority yesterday denied a newspaper report that there is a finalised indictment of charges of money laundering against Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane and members of the Gupta family.

NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku told News24 that there is no finalised indictment… the investigation is not fully completed.

The Sunday Times reported that Zwane, along with Atul, Rajesh and Ajay Gupta were due to be charged with money laundering in a matter of weeks.

The Hawks are currently investigating allegations of R220-million in fraud in connection with a dairy project in Vrede in the Free State which was meant to empower small black farmers.

Mfaku said evidence was still being collected – and therefore, the completion of charges could not be possible at this stage.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi told News24 that it does not discuss on-going investigations.

Also making headlines:
KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League secretary Thanduxolo Sabela yesterday lambasted members of the party who were still wearing campaign T-shirts for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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