For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Mashatile urges private sector participation for successful African Continental Free Trade Area, Court finds election of Mangaung mayor unlawful and, Uganda president to consult lawmakers about anti-LGBTQ bill

Mashatile urges private sector participation for successful African Continental Free Trade Area

Deputy President Paul Mashatile highlighted the necessity of private sector participation to advance the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Mashatile gave the closing at the 2023 African Continental Free Trade Area Business Forum, in Cape Town, where he said advancing that its implementation would improve intra-Africa trade and Africa’s share and participation in global trade.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development secretary general indicated that Africa had $21.9-billion of untapped export potential, with a further $9.2-billion of export potential that could be realised through partial tariff liberalisation under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement over the next five years.

Court finds election of Mangaung mayor unlawful

The Bloemfontein High Court has found that the election of the Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats’ Papi Mokoena as the executive mayor of Mangaung metropolitan municipality was unlawful.

According to ANC Free State provincial secretary Polediso Motsoeneng the council sitting held last week was riddled with illegality.

The court interdicted Mokoena from performing any acts and/or enlisting the assistance of any other person to perform any act in pursuance of his election as the executive mayor of Mangaung metropolitan municipality.

Uganda president to consult lawmakers about anti-LGBTQ bill

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will meet lawmakers from his party today to discuss a strict anti-LGBTQ bill ahead of a deadline to sign it, veto it or send it back to parliament for revisions.

Human rights activists and the US government say the bill is among the harshest pieces of legislation penalising sexual minorities anywhere in the world.

The United Nations, European Union and a long list of corporate giants have condemned it as it would impose the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality and 20-year sentences for "promoting" homosexuality.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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