April 03 28, 2024.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lynne Davies.

Making headlines:

Mashaba lays out ActionSA’s plan to ‘fix SA’

Corruption Watch reaffirms commitment to fight corruption

And, Zimbabwe declares drought a disaster, joining Malawi and Zambia

Mashaba lays out ActionSA’s plan to ‘fix SA’

Following the launch of his party’s 2024 election manifesto last month, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba sat down with Polity, setting out the party’s blueprint to “fix SA” and reiterating that he is unapologetic about his stance on illegal immigration.

He said he could not understand why people would want to allow non-nationals to arrive in South Africa, undocumented.

Mashaba stressed the need to professionalise flailing State-owned power utility Eskom, and to allow private sector participation and competition in the energy sector.

ActionSA’s reforms for policing include ethical leaders for the head of police, as well as training for officers. Mashaba stressed the need for specialised units, calling for a version of the Scorpions to return.

Corruption Watch reaffirms commitment to fight corruption

Non-profit organisation Corruption Watch highlights that poor leadership and lack of accountability have eroded public trust and confidence in the State’s capacity to deliver on the promise of an equal and just society, as impunity for those implicated in wrongdoing continues.

The organisation says that along with these challenges, massive corruption and mismanagement have contributed to rising levels of poverty, inequality, unemployment, crime and deteriorating infrastructure, utilities and services.

CW released its twelfth yearly corruption report today, titled 'Changing the Landscape’, just as South African prepares for a crucial national election.

The organisation explains that the report bears “stark witness” to the path South Africa finds itself on after 30 years of democracy, and the reality of the multiple crises that threaten the fulfilment of the State’s electoral and constitutional mandate.

Zimbabwe declares drought a disaster, joining Malawi and Zambia

Zimbabwe’s president declared a state of national disaster over a drought that’s curbed farm output in the southern African nation.

The announcement follows similar declarations last month in neighbouring Zambia and Malawi, where poor rainfall has cut production of the staple corn and other grains and contributed to higher food prices that have hurt poor households. The El Niño weather phenomenon resulted in swathes of southern African experiencing its driest February in decades this year.

Zimbabwe has lost 12% of planted farmland corn due to the dry spell, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The country consumes 2.2-million tons of grain annually, with 1.8-million tons used for food and 400 000 tons used for livestock feed.

Plans to export surplus corn and wheat from past harvests to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been halted, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa. That would have been the first corn exports by Zimbabwe since 2001.

Neighbouring South Africa has warned it may be forced to import corn for the first time since 2017 because of the drought.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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