Press Statement: Media exposed, Guptas cleared! (14.06.2016)

ANC Coal War

The big story over the weekend by City Press revolved around the alleged Eskom untoward “bail out” of the Gupta business. 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 14, 2016 –  The Gupta family has now been cleared by over four entities of any wrong doing but you wouldn’t know this from the media reports. The big story over the weekend by City Press revolved around the alleged Eskom untoward “bail out” of the Gupta business. But Eskom has issued two detailed statements which clears the Gupta family business more specifically Tegeta which is one of the coal suppliers to Eskom. The Eskom statements come at the backdrop of the Gupta family also being cleared by the ANC NEC investigation which followed the alleged “state capture” by the family. It must be remembered that when the long term auditors of the family KPMG stopped its association with the family business it made it clear that there was nothing wrong with the books of the Guptas, an assertion which was confirmed by the new auditors who undertook their own independent “due diligence” on the state of the finances of the business. As if that is not enough, even the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has come out and denied that there is any investigation against the Guptas. These facts make a fair reader to ask; why is the media spreading lies?

The stories by both city press and Sunday times are devoid of any factual truth, are malicious and possibly illegal as well. City Press was given clarifications by Eskom which showed that their story had no basis in fact. But they ignored all that and continued to publish lies and fabrications.  City Press essentially alleges that the Tegeta was given preferential treatment on the Arnot deal to offset the losses on the Hendrina deal. The readers not familiar with the Eskom deal might know that once Guptas bought the Swiss company known as Optimum Coal, they continued to supply coal at  R150 a ton as opposed the R530 demanded by the Swiss company under threat of unleashing load shedding. That is the Hendrina deal which continues until 2018. What happened in between is that Eskom needed more supplies for the Arnot power station, and the request was opened to other suppliers which included Tegeta. The quality of the coal is different from that which is required by the Hendrina station. Eskom explained in its statements that, the quality of the coal for this station is “export grade”.

City Press chose to lie openly when it says, coal was ferried from 50km away to offset the loss making of Optimum Coal deal.  Eskom clarified to city press in a statement that, “The Optimum Coal Mine provides two coal qualities to Eskom.  The Optimum – Hendrina supply is a blended product of run-of-mine and washed product. This is supplied under the existing Optimum-Hendrina contract that expires in 2018.” Eskom was explicit that; “The second product from Optimum from their export mining compound.  It is a higher quality coal and this is supplied to Arnot under the current short term agreement”.

City Press deliberately omitted the distinction between the coal supplied on Hendrina and the one supplied to Arnot. Furthermore, City Press deliberately misinformed its readers by not disclosing that Tegeta was one of the seven suppliers for the short term contract named by Eskom. This shows that City Press has an agenda specifically against Tegeta because it’s partly owned by the Guptas. Eskom on Saturday issued a statement which made it clear that; “Eskom firmly rejects the suggestion that Tegeta was favoured or that due process was not followed”. But City Press is not interested in the truth it’s only interested in the agenda to kick the Guptas out of the coal sector because white owned companies now feel the heat of competition.

The racism of City Press report comes with how it does not believe that a black owned company can do better than a white owned business. White media asks how Tegeta can turn around a loss making company which whites had given up on. Instead of recognising Tegeta for business skills and innovation they cast aspersion suggesting wrong doing. “If whites can’t do it, blacks can’t do it either” is the philosophy behind City Press report supported by Sunday Times. Furthermore, City Press and Sunday Times in their campaign to destroy the Gupta family, failed to inform their readers that Eskom has declared that the deal with the Guptas has saved it R1 billion in mere 8 months. This is a big positive story, when Eskom saves money it means South Africans benefit. But such truth comes in the way of the agenda of the media.

The media is also silent about how Eskom explains how Tegeta has stepped in when there was a crisis at the Hendrina power station and has saved thousands of jobs. City Press furthermore, withheld information to its readers which would have shown that in fact the deal they claim is bad, comes at much lower price for Eskom than the deal before which was under the white owned Exxaro which sold R1 132 per ton as against the average of R500 by Tegeta. That is half the price the white companies use to demand, but such facts don’t support the campaign and are therefore suppressed.

The Gupta business tired of distortions and has called on all the media houses to a live debate on their stories. None are willing to do so because a live debate doesn’t allow for distortions. Oakbay Investments CEO Nazeem Howa has thrown the gauntlet and till date only Media24 has accepted the challenge to a live debate and the result is quite revealing on how the media is doing the bidding for white owned companies who are feeling the heat of the competitive edge of the Gupta owned companies. In the media 24 live interview, the public gets to learn a lot about selective reporting and the revelations that the media has ignored the Eskom own statement and the SARB. It would come as a big surprise to many readers to know that actually, Oakbay only supplies about 5% of the coal to Eskom. The other about 80% is supplied by white owned companies who are not being hounded by the media. http://m.fin24.com/fin24/Economy/exclusive-oakbay-ceo-speaks-out-on-coal-and-cash-reports-video-20160612

The media needs to be asked as to why it is not interested in the 80% coal suppliers of Eskom. The reason is patent to all fair people. The troubles of the Oakbay started when they out smarted the Swiss giant Glencore and bought their ailing company which was trying to blackmail Eskom by withdrawing its coal with the hope of hitting South Africa with another outage and then to be able to name the price it wants to sell coal to Eskom which would have been outside the agreement it had. It was the foresight and courage of the Eskom CEO Brian Molefe who stopped the whole scheme and quickly put the Swiss giant on a back footing and was forced to sell their business called Optimal Coal to the Guptas. This has infuriated white business and had led to the political attack sponsored by white capital and the Gupta must go campaign on the one hand and on the other the same white monopoly capital in competition with the Guptas has pressured the banks to close the accounts of the Gupta business. The media is not interested in the linkages including the serious impact on the 7500 workers and their families which comes to affecting over 50 000 people!

The renewed media attack on Oakbay seem to be linked with the realization that the Guptas are turning around the loss making Optimum Coal. A few months ago the business was on its dead bed but today has been removed from the ICU to the bitterness of white monopoly capital. This means Oakbay is establishing itself in the coal sector which is currently dominated by white owned companies. What is even more intriguing is that one of the companies which are major players in coal are those associated with Johann Rupert. Together with the companies linked to the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who is personal friend of Rupert their companies have respectively milked over R8 billion from Eskom. Clearly Rupert and Ramaphosa are concerned that their milking cow is now doing business with companies which are not linked to white monopoly capital.

Given the lies written by the media against black companies and businesses it makes sense that government should without any further delay institute a media tribunal and criminalize lies and slander by the media. The South African media is no longer held accountable by media ethics, it has become peddlers of lies and distortion for narrow racist ends.

 

Mathews Phosa: ANC must stop ‘protecting corruption’ (Youtube-Clip)

“In an exclusive interview, journalist Melanie Verwoerd talks to anti-apartheid activist Mathews Phosa about the road travelled by the ANC, the Constitution and the expulsion of Julius Malema” (Eyewitness News, 2016)

Press Statement: SABC says it will no longer broadcast public protests (27.05.2016)

SABC 27.05.2016

The DA is in the process of considering its legal options following the announcement by the COO of the SABC, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, that the public broadcaster will no longer air footage of service delivery protests.

The reason Motsoeneng is allowed to make this absurd decision is as a result of the new SABC editorial policy approved in secret by Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, and the SABC Board in February this year.

The policy gives total control of all the SABC’s programming and news content to the SABC COO who is also a political appointee.

Press Statement: Zuma Corruption Charges: NPA appeal a blatant delaying tactic to shield Zuma from his day in court (23.05.2016)

Zuma 23.05.2016

Today’s decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to apply for leave to appeal the Zuma Corruption Case (aka Spy Tapes) to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) is a blatant delaying tactic to shield Jacob Zuma from facing the 783 charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering levelled against him almost a decade ago.

The NPA waited until the 11th hour to announce its appeal – and in doing so effectively told the people of South Africa that more public money will fund the process to delay President Zuma from finally having his day in court.

The DA has long held that the decision taken by the then acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Mokotedi Mpshe, to discontinue the prosecution was irrational, unreasonable and made with an ulterior political motive.

This position was vindicated by the North Gauteng High Court’s full bench when it found that “the envisaged prosecution against Mr Zuma was not tainted by the allegations against Mr McCarthy. Mr Zuma should face the Charges as outlined in the indictment.

This matter presented the incumbent NDPP, Adv Shaun Abrahams, with an opportunity to show his independence and proceed with this prosecution as planned, and give Jacob Zuma a court date.

Sadly, this opportunity was missed.

The reasons advanced by Adv. Abrahams – that he was acting in the best interests of prosecutorial independence – is a farce. Abrahams is preoccupied with protecting President Zuma at all costs – no matter what the implications are for the Constitution, the taxpayer or due process. That Adv. Abrahams failed to consult Billy Downer is inexplicable considering Downer knows the case best and is inextricably linked to the matter.

The matter is simple: President Zuma will eventually have his day in court, and justice will prevail, no matter how many tricks and delaying tactics are used by the state. The DA will not let this matter rest. President Zuma will face justice.

EFF pose as Parliament’s protection services to protect Malema (Youtube-Clip)

“The DA has received reports that two of the so-called white shirts in the National Assembly (NA) during this week’s oral questions to the President session were in fact Julius Malema’s personal bodyguards posing as members of parliamentary protection services. Further, that Parliament is currently investigating these claims and currently formulating charges against the relevant culprits.Close examination of video footage of Tuesday’s sitting shows what appears to be a man in a white shirt rush to Malema’s side during the EFF’s ejection from the NA and fight off other members of Parliament’s protection services, in an effort to protect him” (Democratic Alliance, 19.05.2016).

COPE’s Lekota shares his thoughts on Parly unrest (Youtube-Clip)

“The President of the Congress of the People (COPE), Mosiuoa Lekota shred his thoughts on the EFF’s refusal to be addressed by President Jacob Zuma in Parliament as well as their forceful removal on Tuesday” (Jaracanda FM, 2016).

Press Statement: Rumours of Finance Minister’s arrest are a disaster for SA (15.05.2016)

Pravin Gordhan Rescue

The arrest of the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, would be a disaster for South Africa. It would cause an economic earthquake and make “9/12” look like a minor economic tremor.

Rumours reported today suggest that the Minister may be arrested, together with eight other officials, to face charges relating to the SARS “rogue unit”.

However, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Luvuyo Mfaku, reportedly claimed no decision has been made to prosecute and that the matter remained under investigation.

The timing of the rumours could not be worse and will not only cause further turmoil in the markets, but also compromise efforts to avoid a ratings downgrade in South Africa.

What is worrying is that authorities are reportedly waiting for the “political go ahead”before ordering the arrest of the Minister, and eight other officials, to face charges relating to the SARS “rogue unit”.

This suggests that the investigation is politically motivated and part of President Jacob Zuma’s fight back campaign and attempt to neuter National Treasury.

The only option, with any hope of avoiding mutually assured destruction, is to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry, in terms of Section 84 of the Constitution, to investigate all the allegations surrounding the so-called SARS “rogue unit”.

Bokomosa – Zuma’s Day in Court: Better late than Never!

“This week, DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, discusses President Zuma’s spy tapes case” (Democratic Alliance, 2016)

EFF Forcefully Removed From Parliament AGAIN! (Youtube-Clip)

“Chaos in Parliament again. Debate on Vote 1: “Presidency”. The EFF rejects Jacob Zuma the right to deliver his speech and are forcibly removed by Police” (My Africa, 2016)

My Letter to President Zuma after the “Spy Tapes” verdict of late was recently deemed “irrational” time to rethink you position Mr. President!

Jacob+Zuma+March+17+2016

Oslo, 30th April 2016.

Dear His Excellency President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma!

I still hope you are okay in your grand home and travelling still like the President of the Republic of South Africa. I know that you’re still having lots of hot soup and getting more time to spend in court or fellow hired lawyers to represent you and your lordship.

I am writing to you again as the allegations of corruption is becoming the envy of reign. Not that you have written and made progress, policy even of magnitude for the South African people. You are in the headlines because of the acts of corrupt behaviour and intended conspiracy of using the Executive branch to gain monetary gains. That is not Statesman supposed to do. Parts of you know that right?

“President Zuma improperly benefited from the measures implemented in the name of security which include nonsecurity comforts such as the Visitors’ Centre, such as swimming pool, amphitheater, cattle kraal with culvert and chicken run”. (Public Protector Report 10.5.3, p 431)

I am also pouring my heart to you as the Nkandla scandal is just fresh in mind and the Constitutional Court case was not in favour and you have to pay-back to the tax-payers the money you used on the fire-pool and amphitheatre in Kwa-Zulu Natal homestead. So it’s not like you have had breathing space between the allegations and even verdicts entailing the trailing prospects to your name. Not that you are famed for Nobel approach to life or deceive in the matter of economic prosperity and education of your fellow citizens. Your last name Mr. President is synonymous with Corruption. In the next Merriam-Webster dictionary your photo will be right under the word “Corrupt”. And “Acts like a Zuma” and the word in google will be “Corrupt”.

ANC Cartoon

This is not easy to write to you as I am the man who you hire to clean your pool in Nkandla. As I am not even a ANC Stalwart or ANC member, I am foreigner with squat to say really. I only have my word and my mind. So I still don’t expect you or any of your loyal men in the National Assembly to take my words into account. But I might show you the opinion and demeanour the rest of world has of you.

But today, I don’t write the letter because of the Nkandla, have already addressed to you and think you should consider the proposal I had when I wrote it back then. So I will not readdress it and repeat myself to much. As that is something more than often do, as you constantly gets you name caught up in court and get petitions against your actions. Even cases that been dismissed, gets back to life and hunts you.

As the Democratic Alliance Versus Acting National Director of Public Prosecution and others (19577/2009) ZAGPPHC 255 (29.04.2016) that was on the 29th April the current decision on the big spy tape case of 2009 is now here:

“Having regard to the conspectus of the evidence before us we find that Mr Mpshe found himself under pressure and he decided to discontinue the prosecution of Mr Zuma and consequently made an irrational decision. Considering the situation in  which  he  found himself, Mr Mpshe ignored the importance of the oath of office which demanded of him to act independently and without fear or favour” (…)”It is thus our view that the envisaged prosecution against Mr Zuma was not tainted by the allegations against Mr McCarthy. Mr Zuma should face the charges as outlined in the indictment” (…)”This Court, for the reasons stated above, finds that the decision of 1 April 2009 by Mr Mpshe to discontinue the prosecution of the case against Mr Zuma is irrational and should be reviewed and set aside” (North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, 29.04.2016).

This must be a slap on the His Excellency the ghost of the corrupted past hits back at you. That another judge calls the former verdict a irrational one and deem it unfit; as the judge see the case upon fresh review and new process to get into the facts of the matter. That cannot be a great look, you have to pay-back the tax-payers for the fire-pool and now you have to again go through a public view of the old “Spy Tapes”. As you don’t have enough on your plate as your son have quit his job at Oakbay Investments, as the ties to the Gupta Family supposed to not be entangled in your political vision. That as much as the triple finance minister brawl of December 2015, had nothing to the with the use of money for a private plane or other procurement that the state did not have funds for.

2016-04-08-south-africa-the-citizen-gauteng

So the controversy around never get muted Mr. President. This continues to pressure you position, just as much ever before. At this point you have again a review and over 700 counts of alleged conspiracy of corruption. That must be hurting as you are supposed to be an Executive and the grand leader of the country. The statute of the Presidency, the head honcho and the Commander-in-Chief isn’t supposed to be this much in the court room or have your name synonymous with corruption.

If you are not supposed be a thief or a gangster I would have understand Mr. President. But you have not planned for this. You thought this chapter was done and you could continue with being the leader and grand master with some flash. Instead the Democratic Alliance and the Higher Court have pulled more gasoline on the fire. The one burning sensation that does not cured with taking a shower.

Mr. President, Jacob Zuma you have now more counts on you than the worst criminals. You have now had more cases had more allegations then anybody I know who actually are a current President and also a majority party President. That is in an achievement and not a positive one. All the other issues and trade-agreements that have hunted you; they are following your shadow no matter where you walk.

So His Excellency Jacob G. Zuma, you are the man who still is the head of the ruling party ANC and also the President, means you are the Markie man in the National Assembly. You should be man of honour and man of valour of justice as you represent the chamber; that set the standard for laws and regulations. That makes your position valuable and also significant. Something you already know as you have had for few years now already. You should consider resigning or start seeking for succession as the dishonour you put into the courts, national assembly and your own party says it all Mr. President.    

This is just written to you as a consideration and a kind reminder. As I know you won’t directly read any of my letters, but I hope some of your advisors will. And parts of me wish that you would step down as you tarnish the reputation of the ANC. The ANC who was a benchmark and was a party to look up to for guidance and inspiration as he leaders had character and was men of integrity and solidarity towards fellow citizens. That is what is missing in the ANC and you Mr. President is symptom of what the party is missing. Peace.

Best regards

The Writer of Minbane