Daily news update: EFF to boycott NA speaker election, Carl Niehaus case postponed and SA inflation

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EFF to boycott election of National Assembly speaker

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says its MPs will not participate in Thursday’s session in Parliament to elect the new speaker of the National Assembly.  

The House is expected to hold a plenary sitting at 11am after the position of the speaker became vacant when President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Thandi Modise as the new minister of defence and military veterans.

ALSO READ: ANC nominates Mapisa-Nqakula as next speaker of National Assembly

The ANC’s parliamentary caucus last week nominated former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as the new speaker of the National Assembly.

SA unrest: Nearly R120 million in ‘hard cash’ looted from banks, ATMs

The amount of hard cash lost during last month’s chaotic looting and unrest in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal has recently been quantified.

According to a press statement issued by the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), ATMs and bank branches lost R119,400,243 in cash. 

This excludes infrastructure damage and replacement costs. 

Mokgoro not out of premier job yet, as ANC waits for resignation letter

Following the announcement of ANC veteran Bushy Maape as the new premier-elect of the North West province, the party in the province is still waiting on the incumbent, Job Mokgoro, to formally resign.

The ANC’s interim provincial committee (IPC) coordinator, Hlomane Chauke, on Wednesday confirmed that Mokgoro was yet to tender in his resignation in the provincial legislature.

ALSO READ: Mokgoro removed as North West premier, ANC’s Bushy Maape set to take over

Despite this, Chauke said he did not believe they jumped the gun in announcing Maape as the premier-elect on Tuesday.

Carl Niehaus case for ‘breaking’ lockdown rules postponed

Suspended ANC member Carl Niehaus’s case for allegedly violating lockdown regulations back in July has been postponed to November.

Niehaus, 61, on Wednesday appeared in the Estcourt Magistrates’ Court after he failed to pay a fine for the alleged contravention of the Disaster Management Act.

On 8 July, he was arrested by police outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal while being interviewed by SABC News. Niehaus was outside the prison to call for the release of jailed former president Jacob Zuma.

SA inflation falls for second month, bringing it closer to SARB’s target

South Africa’s inflation rate decreased to 4.6% in July from 4.9% in June 2021, which means that consumers paid 4.6% more for goods and services than they did in July 2020. This decrease brings the inflation rate closer to the 4.5% of the SA Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) target range.

Unfortunately, the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 1.1% month-on-month in July 2021, which means consumers paid 1.1% more for goods and services in July than they did in June. This was the highest monthly increase since July 2020, when the CPI increased by 1.3%.

Bafana international Mkhwanazi joins SuperSport United

After spending a whole season without kicking a ball, Buhle Mkhwanazi has finally found himself a new home at SuperSport United.

Mkhwanzi was one of the unlucky players, not picked up by any team when Bidvest Wits were sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

He spent the pre-season with Matsatsantsa A Pitori, where he seemingly impressed head coach Kaitano Tembo and was awarded with a one-year deal.

The addition of Mkhwanzi fills the gap left behind by Grant Kekana, who joined Mamelodi Sundowns and with Bongani Khumalo also no longer with the side, Mkhwanazi will come in handy for Kaitano Tembo’s side.