Morning Brief – Wednesday, 7 September 2022

Good morning. Today we’re covering the contraction of the GDP means SA’s growth rate is expected to be less than 2%, the nominations process for ANC leadership positions officially opens today, and Twitter hits back at the bot whistle-blower arguing the claims were never made while he was still employed with the company.

Economists dial back full-year forecasts after GDP shrinks 0.7% – Business Day (for subscribers)

Stats SA reported on Tuesday that the South African economy contracted by 0.7% in the second quarter with the economic growth rate for 2022 now expected to come in at less than 2%.

Government have made progress with structural reforms but load shedding, floods and industrial unrest drove the economy to contract to below pre-pandemic levels.

Economists say the contraction reflected electricity outages and industrial strike action in the mining and manufacturing industries as well as rail and port capacity constraints. Read more here.

Renew22: Ramaphosa’s bid for second term given early boost, but who will be his deputy? – News24 (for subscribers)

The nominations process for the ANC’s top positions officially opens today with President Cyril Ramaphosa leading the charge with his Renew22 campaign for re-election as president.

Party leaders are behind a second Ramaphosa term but are sharply divided over who should make up the other key leadership positions with differences across the provinces as to who should be nominated and elected.

Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele and Derek Hanekom are leading the president’s Renew22 campaign. Read more here.

Twitter says whistle-blower never raised bot concerns before leaving company – MyBroadband

Twitter has hit back at whistle-blower Peiter Zatko after the former security head said he sounded the alarm over bots on the social media platform but was met with silence while he was employed with the company.

A lawyer for Twitter said Zatko never raised his concerns around bots with Twitter management until he filed his whistle-blower complaint. Then Zatko “started parroting” Musk’s allegations against the company, said lawyer Bradley Wilson, calling it “very, very strange.”

Bradley was speaking at a hearing held before Delaware Chancery Judge Kathaleen St. J. McCormick. The hearing is being held to consider Elon Musk’s request to amend his counterclaims to Twitter’s suit seeking to force the completion of Musk’s $44 billion buyout. Read more here.