Top 5 Today
- Masemola walks — all charges against police commissioner Fannie Masemola over the Medicare24 health tender were withdrawn in the Randburg court today. He calls the charges IDAC-motivated and says he is ready to go back: “I want to serve the country.”
- SAPS succession war — on the same day, ‘Cat’ Matlala’s wife was arrested on fraud charges; supporters outside court linked Masemola’s arrest to a SAPS succession battle, and a witness accused senior SAPS officials of targeting the top cop.
- Mbalula in the dock — AfriForum won its bid to have ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula charged with crimen injuria over his Malema rape question. The NPA must now prosecute. He is also under fire over the ANC’s candidate-list crisis — “the weakest link”.
- Eskom debt bomb — municipal debt to Eskom could reach R358bn without decisive intervention, per minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. Joburg moves City Power to a 70-30 revenue split from 1 October.
- El Niño + petrol — the SA Weather Service warns of an “unprecedented” El Niño: record heat, drought and flood risk. October petrol prices are set to climb again.
Also Today
- Pick n Pay names a former Woolworths Food boss as CEO-designate.
- Bank Zero turns profitable, plans a lending push.
- Ratings Afrika: financial alarm bells in 7 of SA’s 8 metros.
- Brown Mogotsi denied bail for a fourth time (assassination case).
- Serial rape suspect facing 66 charges due in Giyani court.
- Gauteng police arrest 10 and recover 9 firearms after a fatal Cleveland shootout.
- Melgisedek illegal occupants stranded after courts block the tent-camp move.
Madlanga / Justice & Accountability
- Madlanga Commission: Day 177 (21 Sept) heard taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni, who cried foul over “procedural unfairness”. President Ramaphosa has extended the Commission’s final report deadline.
- Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into the TRC cases sat today (SABC live).
- Mapisa-Nqakula corruption trial continued today.
- The Masemola/IDAC fallout is now the live accountability story: IDAC brought the tender charges, the NPA withdrew them.
Why It Matters
South Africa’s own corruption fighters (IDAC and the NPA) are fighting each other in court while the ANC’s enforcer heads for prosecution and Eskom’s municipal debt bomb keeps ticking — accountability is being tested from the top down, and whoever wins the SAPS succession fight shapes policing for years.