New ANC ‘war room’ to tackle service delivery, and good news for mobile-data users in South Africa

Today, 26 January, the Rand is trading at R16.09 to the Dollar, remaining flat over the weekend. 

The Madlanga Commission, probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system, will resume its hearings today after pausing proceedings in December. 

Today, the commission will hear from a new witness, though it has not disclosed the witness’s identity, the commission remains focused on the disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team.

Former Free State Premier Ace Magashule and 16 co-accused will return to the Free State High Court today after a lengthy delay in the asbestos corruption case. 

The officials stand accused of irregularly awarding a R230 million contract to remove asbestos roofs to a joint venture that failed to perform the work. 

In the Athlone Magistrate’s court, a 19-year-old is expected to appear in connection with the Phillipi East mass murder today. He is one of three suspects that ellegedly entered an illegal liquor outlet and shot and killed six people. 

The case against 62 alleged instigators of the July 2021 unrest will resume today in the Durban High Court. The accused face charges of incitement to commit public violence, terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. 

Here are five other big things happening in South Africa today:

Ramaphosa establishes a service delivery war room – EWN

The African National Congress (ANC) will establish a service delivery war room within the Office of the Secretary General to evaluate the performance of its public representatives, and insists that this is not a replica of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. 

WhatsApp sued for reading users’ private messages – BusinessTech

An international group of plaintiffs, including South Africans, is suing Meta Platforms Inc. on the grounds that the company’s claims about privacy and security are false, and that Meta and WhatsApp store, analyse and access all private conversations. 

ANC Johannesburg vote-buying drama intensifies – Newsday

Ballot boxes and papers linked to the ANC’s controversial Greater Johannesburg Regional Conference have allegedly been discovered in the private residence of the owner of the independent election company. 

ActionSA to merge with two other parties amid decline in support – The Citizen

ActionSA will announce a merger with two other political parties this morning. The party said that the three parties together will form a “credible and united alternative” for the upcoming local government elections. 

New rules for mobile-data in South Africa – News24

South Africa’s communications regulator has published amended rules for the expiry of mobile data bundles, forcing mobile networks to automatically roll over unused data after the validity period and protecting users from incurring expensive out-of-bundle charges when their data is depleted.