For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Cameron Mackay.

Making headlines: Sisulu claims Ramaphosa's media team deliberately misrepresented outcomes of their meeting, IFP criticises govt over R11.4 billion World Bank loan and, South Africa records 3 962 new infections

Sisulu claims Ramaphosa's media team deliberately misrepresented outcomes of their meeting

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said today that she believed the Presidency’s media team was at fault for being deliberately mischievous in the statement issued regarding her retracting and apologising for her controversial comments about the judiciary.

Minister Sisulu has been under criticism for her “attack” on the judiciary in an opinion piece last week.

In another statement, Sisulu insisted she had not been admonished by the President Cyril Ramaphosa, despite the Presidency saying the contrary.

Sisulu’s objections come after the Presidency released a statement on Thursday saying Ramaphosa had met with her and admonished her over her attack on the judiciary, following which, the minister had then retracted her sentiments.

IFP criticises govt over R11.4 billion World Bank loan

The Inkatha Freedom Party is unhappy that the government requested about R11.4-billion loan from the World Bank, warning it that the money must not become another opportunity to “loot the State coffers”.

The World Bank announced on Friday that it had approved South Africa’s request for the loan.

Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane said the World Bank budget support will contribute towards addressing the financing gap stemming from additional spending in response to the Covid-19 crisis and will assist in addressing the immediate challenge of financing critical health and social safety net programmes.

IFP deputy president and spokesperson on finance Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi said the National Treasury cannot afford to take on a loan.

South Africa records 3 962 new infections

South Africa recorded 3 962 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections on Thursday.

According to a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, as of Thursday, the country had recorded over 3-million laboratory-confirmed cases.

There have been 31 new Covid-19 fatalities in the last 48 hours, bringing the death toll to 93 846.

The NICD reported that 3 962 new Covid-19 cases had been identified, representing a 10.6% positivity rate.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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