Stories from Pretoria · South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the local government elections will be held on November 4. Ramaphosa stated there must be continuity in governance following the appointment of new councillors and mayors. The announcement comes ahead of the upcoming election cycle. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) noted that the Special Investigating Unit is continuing its probe into alleged academic fraud at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape. The Pan-African Parliament has also elected new leadership. The Chief Electoral Officer is scheduled to discuss the announcement on the program Meeting Point. The announcement follows recent presidential directives regarding the electoral timeline. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is currently in discussions regarding the electoral process and the protection of journalists' work.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that resolving the water crisis requires collaborative and coordinated responses across all three spheres of government. He said the need for working together with social partners and communities.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mamluo Kokubai stated that promises offered by the Constitution have not been fully realized. The remarks were made during a news briefing.

South African authorities revoked the passport of singer Miriam Makeba following disapproval of a film. Makeba moved to the United States with assistance from singer Harry Belafonte after the revocation prevented her return to South Africa.

Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpani outlined commitments to follow President Ramaphosa's crime-fighting instructions. The TMPD multimillion rand tender is currently under scrutiny involving three specific companies.

Maikaala, Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in Kenya, commented on the benefits of recent Chinese initiatives for South Africa.

China will begin granting zero tariff access to goods from 53 African countries starting May 1. The policy aims to enhance the development capabilities and public service levels of these nations, fostering local employment, technical exchange, talent cultivation, knowledge transfer, and experience sharing, thereby strengthening their endogenous development momentum and traditional friendship with China. This initiative is expected to boost exports from nations like Cape Verde, which exports products such as tuna, lobster, and wine. The zero-tariff trade is also seen as a result of infrastructure support and cooperation projects between China and Cape Verde, enhancing the nation's governance and public services, fostering employment, and facilitating knowledge transfer.

Chukwu Duma Laji, the suspect director of asset protection in the Tshwane Metro Police Department, is scheduled to return to the Magalengana Commission of inquiry in Pretoria this morning. The inquiry is investigating the country's water crisis.

Tanzania's High Commissioner in South Africa, James Buanna, dismissed viral social media claims regarding xenophobic attacks against Tanzanians living in South Africa. Buanna asserted that Tanzanians residing in the country are safe. The Tanzanian embassy in Pretoria has dismissed media reports regarding xenophobic attacks, labeling them as based on misleading video footage. The embassy stated the videos are either outdated or misidentified and contain no verified evidence of Tanzanians being targeted. Community leaders and United States representatives have assisted in identifying the context of the clips. Representatives of the Tanzanian diaspora in Pretoria have denied claims of rising xenophobia, stating that misinformation is causing fear. Reactions in Dar es Salaam are mixed, with some residents citing South Africa's history of sporadic xenophobic violence as a concern.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence expert Rendar Niembuwa stated that errors in the South African AI ethics draft can be quickly corrected.