Page 7 - Jonathan Katzenellenbogen News Today

South Africa’s relations with the US are in a crisis, and there is no clear path out of the mess. South Africa’s increasing lean towards Russia since the invasion of Ukraine has infuriated the West.

SAs' relations with the US are in a crisis as SA’s increasing lean towards Russia since the invasion of Ukraine has infuriated the West.

A few days ago Eskom told us that stage six power cuts were to last indefinitely.

A few days ago, Eskom told us that stage six power cuts were to last indefinitely, foreshadowing an inevitably cold winter amidst blackouts.

There is an intense and growing national anxiety about the country’s future.

Katzenellenbogen reminds us that amidst the crisis, there are opportunities and sources of potential optimism despite national anxiety.

Last week President Cyril Ramaphosa declared his fifth annual SA investment conference a great success. And last week the President also signed into law the Employment Equity Amendment Act, which seeks to double down on enforcing racial workforce quotas. The aims of encouraging investment and telling companies who they should hire based on race are diametrically opposed.

The aims of promoting investment and telling firms who they should hire based on racial lines are diametrically opposed.

About 180 000 Zimbabweans and their dependants, who could number as many as a million, will face deportation from South Africa at the end of June. That is when the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, will terminate the validity of a special visa that allows those who may have been eligible for political asylum to stay in the country.

Come end of June, Zimbabweans and their dependants will be facing deportation from South Africa as special visas will be terminated.