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

Making headlines: KZN ANC expels municipality speaker, warns against members who ‘de-campaign’ party, South Africa's inflation slows in November and, the IFP youth wing weary of Multi-Party Charter

KZN ANC expels municipality speaker, warns against members who ‘de-campaign’ party

KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo announced the expulsion of former Umzumbe local municipality speaker Sbonelo Maphumulo for what he calls "de-campaigning".

He was addressing media when he warned that all members who did not toe the party line would be subjected to ANC disciplinary processes. 

Maphumulo was suspended on August 22, 2023 after the ANC provincial executive committee had received a report on his alleged conduct which was interpreted as in defiance of ANC decisions, particularly in ANC council meetings.

Maphumulo was charged for acting in breach of the membership oath for failing, refusing or neglecting to execute or comply with any ANC policy, standing order and undermining the respect for or impeding the functioning of any structure or committee of the ANC, amongst other things.

This comes as ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula recently warned against 'de-campaigning' the ruling party following the resignation of party veteran Mavuso Msimang.

South Africa's inflation slows in November

South Africa's headline consumer inflation fell to 5.5% year on year in November from 5.9% in October.

The statistics agency said core inflation, which excludes food and fuel prices, rose to 4.5% year-on-year in November from 4.4% in October.

November's headline reading remains within the South African Reserve Bank's inflation target range of 3% to 6%.

Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago reiterated the bank's expectation that inflation would stabilise around the mid-point of its target band by 2025.

IFP youth wing weary of Multi-Party Charter

The Inkatha Freedom Party, which is headed for its first major elections without its lifelong president Mangosuthu Buthelezi, is grappling with an outstanding question on the Multi-Party Charter.

The Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade has criticised the charter, which includes other political parties and is led by the Democratic Alliance in a pact that seeks to unseat the ANC and block the Economic Freedom Fighters from ascending to power in a coalition agreement after the 2024 general elections. 

It is understood that IFP's participation in the Multi-Party Charter For South Africa was up for debate and the party's youth structure was against the MPC's "exclusion clause" that forces parties not to work with the EFF.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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