Making headlines: ANC NWC summoned to Luthuli House; Johannesburg City launches operation to enforce city by-laws; And, Joice Mujuru 'not in any deal with Grace Mugabe'

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Donald Makhafola.

ANC NWC summoned to Luthuli House

In the strongest indication yet that President Jacob Zuma won't voluntarily step down as head of state, the 20 members of the ANC's NWC have been summoned to a special meeting on Monday afternoon.

This happened after a meeting between Zuma and the ANC's new top six leaders last night at the presidential guesthouse in Pretoria.

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema tweeted after last night's meeting that Zuma had refused to resign and that he told the NWC to take a decision to remove him if they wanted to because he believed that he didn’t do anything wrong to the country.

Malema added that Zuma argued that he had complied with all legal instructions.

Johannesburg City launches operation to enforce city by-laws

The City of Johannesburg has announced the launch of "Operation Buya Mthetho" today to "enforce by-laws and to bring back the rule of law".

In a statement the City said the operation will be led by the new municipal chief of police, David Tembe, supported by senior officials from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department and by those from across all our departments.

Its main focus will be to ensure city by-law are adhered to by all within the City and that the rule of law becomes the order of the day.

The operation will be conducted daily, on a ward based 'raid' initiative. Operation Buya Mthetho will be a joint operation between all key City departments and entities such as Disaster Management, Environmental Health, Social Development, Infrastructure Services, the City’s legal department, and Development Planning.

City Mayor Herman Mashaba appealed to Johannesburg residents to cooperate with authorities as the embark on the cleanup.

And, Joice Mujuru 'not in any deal with Grace Mugabe'

Joice Mujuru’s party in Zimbabwe has rejected as “unfounded and baseless” reports that she will join with former first lady Grace Mugabe and her allies to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa in polls this year.

Mujuru, leader of the National People’s Party met Robert Mugabe last week, fuelling speculation he was tacitly giving his backing to the former vice president.

A state newspaper, the Sunday Mail claimed Mugabe had “given his blessing to the creation of an opposition political party that will bring together G40 and the NPP”.

G40 is the faction of the ruling party that backed Grace to become vice president. Most of its members were expelled from Zanu-PF in the wake of the November 15 military takeover that ended with Mugabe’s resignation and Mnangagwa taking the reins of power.

Also making headlines:
A number of civic organisations under the banner of Future South Africa have written a letter to African National Congress President Cyril Ramaphosa urging the ANC to recall President Jacob Zuma before the State of the Nation Address on Thursday.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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