City manager tells Parliament Joburg budget “is funded”
With the City of Johannesburg facing litigation from the Democratic Alliance over its recently adopted R97.1 billion budget, City Manager Floyd Brink told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts that “the indication we managed to get is that our budget is funded”. National Treasury had expressed concern about the budgeting, particularly a R10 billion pay deal with the city’s workforce. The Auditor General had also been critical of the City’s financial management. While MPs were reportedly visibly sceptical of the City’s claim, officials said that the pay arrangement was about “justice, redress, and also institutional stability”. It was also subject to “affordability, sustainability and the city’s budget processes”.
Ramaphosa will be arrested over Phala Phala saga, former minister Nqakula believes
President Cyril Ramaphosa will be arrested over the Phala Phala foreign exchange scandal, former Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula said in an interview with Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. “The arrest of Cyril Ramaphosa is not a question of if, it’s a question of when. And that when is coming very, very soon,” Nqakula said. He said the volume of evidence was so extensive that this was unavoidable. The delay in taking action was deliberate, as cases of this nature and sensitivity were handled very cautiously. He added that police officers acted out of self-interest as much as legal duty, and would not sacrifice their careers for politicians; the political climate was also changing, which was limiting the president’s options.
US accepts China as “peer power” – analyst
An analysis in the New York Times argues that the administration of President Donald Trump is attempting to set relations between the US and China to one of “constructive strategic stability”. TheTimes’s diplomatic correspondent Edward Wong explains that while the concept recognises competition on certain issues, the two powers need to cooperate to contain hostilities. President Trump has referred to the two as forming a “G2”, of “the two great countries”. Trump seems thus to be signalling an accommodating posture towards China, providing the latter with an opportunity to develop a new, advantageous relationship. This has been met with concern by some US allies who fear Chinese ambitions.
Belfast violence stoked by “far-right online agitators”, says minister
Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long has blamed far-right online agitators for stoking racial tension over the knife attack in Belfast on Monday night by a 30-year-old Sudanese man who was granted asylum in 2023. Long said: “There have been bad faith actors in the UK and further afield who probably would’ve struggled before yesterday to find Belfast on a map… who were deliberately encouraging people to take to the streets, deliberately weaponising the pain and anguish of an injured man and a frightened community… that is a despicable thing to do.” She added: “We saw the rush to social media yesterday from commentators on the far-right who were clearly trying to stoke racial tension, building on a narrative that they have around immigration.” First Minister Michelle O’Neill called the violent response to the knife attack “outright thuggery”. She said: “Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.” Echoing O’Neill’s message, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “Taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong.” Belfast MP Claire Hanna, Belfast MP and leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party said: “What you’re seeing is a race-based pogrom. We are seeing men going door to door asking to get the foreigners out based exclusively on the colour of their skin.”
Sources: News24, IOL, New York Times, BBC