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CAPE TOWN - Experts warn that South Africa could face further credit rating downgrades possibly before the end of the year. Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba delivered his maiden medium-term budget policy statement in Parliament on Wednesday, revealing that debt is forecast to reach R3 trillion by 2020. Economic growth has been cut from 1.3% to 0.7% for this year. Economist Lesiba Mothata says: “There will be definite downgrades before the end. The debts have become bigger, not only bigger but ballooned. The ceiling that was self-imposed is breached. “For the first time since it was put together a few years ago and the whole matrix has not worked out. This is a definite downgrade.” WATCH: Gigaba:

Political battles are playing out in ANC branch meetings in preparation for the party’s elective conference in December. In Gauteng, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has been getting most of the reported nominations for president, while in KwaZulu-Natal, ANC MP Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has been leading the pack. The other presidential candidates are lower down the list. ANC Treasurer-General Zweli Mkhize is emerging as the third most popular choice for president, and the names of businessman Mathews Phosa (he used to be ANC treasurer-general before taking a losing shot at being deputy president in 2012), Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe showing up in the odd branch among nominations for the officials.

JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu says that the issue of feminism is not about believing survivors, but about changing society's perception around women abuse. Sisulu says she is deeply concerned about gender-based violence in South Africa, adding that it is one of the most important issues that her campaign is centred around. She was asked by Radio 702 and Cape Talk's Eusebius McKaiser about her thoughts on President Jacob Zuma's rape accuser, the late Fezeka Kuzwayo. When asked whether she believes Kuzwayo’s rape allegation she said: “I believe she believes she was raped. “I don’t know if I have enough evidence on that to be able to make a decision

A faction of Zimbabwe's war veterans led by Christopher Mutsvangwa has reportedly apologised to its former boss, Jabulani Sibanda, after it vilified him for claiming that First Lady Grace Mugabe had staged a "bedroom coup". According to NewsDay, the Mutsvangwa-led executive of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) said that they apologised to the ex-freedom fighters' chairperson after realising that his remarks were "spot-on". "We want to say we are very sorry about our reactions to his statement. We have realised that when he talked of 'bedroom coup' he was spot-on because Grace and the so-called G40 have already usurped power from Zanu-PF. Grace is just a secretary

Tucked away in a batch of Eskom documents prepared for various legal challenges involving the power utility and its former Group CEO Brian Molefe is a letter by then chairperson, Dr Ben Ngubane. Unambiguous, it is titled: “Retirement Arrangements - Brian Molefe” and it is addressed to the honourable minister. An email trail shows that the document was sent to three people in Brown’s office: the DPE registry officer, the department’s chief director of governance and Kim Davids, Brown’s personal assistant - the one who left after her Dubai stay courtesy of the Guptas were exposed by amaBhungane and Scorpio earlier this year. Upon receiving this letter from Eskom, Davids wrote back: “Your email is received with thanks and hereby acknowledged.

Global software giant SAP has announced the outcome of an internal investigation following allegations that R100-million in ‘kickbacks’ were paid to a Gupta front company to secure massive contracts with Transnet. At a press briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday‚ the company apologised “wholeheartedly” for the impact the allegations of wrongdoing have had on business in South Africa‚ its employees and customer‚ but more importantly‚ the South African public. SAP co-president of global customer relations‚ Adaire Fox-Martin‚ said the investigation unearthed no evidence of any payments to a South African government official‚ including Eskom and Transnet employees. “It has‚ however‚ uncovered indications