January 25, 2024.

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

Making headlines:

Usindiso arson accused admits to starting fire that killed 76 people

Pandor leads SA's delegation to The Hague to hear the ICJ judgment

And, ANC lags main rival in donation drive as South Africa vote looms

Usindiso arson accused admits to starting fire that killed 76 people

The man who admitted to a commission of inquiry that he had started the fire that claimed 76 lives at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, last year has officially confessed before a magistrate.

Both National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson and the lawyer for the accused, confirmed that Sithembiso Lawrence Mdlalose had confessed freely and voluntarily yesterday.

During his appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court today, Mdlalose was officially charged with arson, 76 counts of murder, and 86 of attempted murder.

South Africa's top diplomat is leading the nation's delegation to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where judgment on provisional measures in its genocide case against Israel will be handed down tomorrow.

Pandor leads SA's delegation to The Hague to hear the ICJ judgment

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor will be in attendance representing South Africa at the hearing.

According to the ICJ, proceedings will start at 14:00 (SA time) at the Peace Palace, during which court president Judge Joan E Donoghue will read the court's order.

In its application, South Africa accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention.

ANC lags main rival in donation drive as South Africa vote looms

The Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s main opposition party, secured more large donations than the ruling African National Congress and its other rivals in the lead-up to this year’s national elections, bolstering its campaign.

The DA raised R161.6-million between April 1, 2021, and September 30 last year, while the ANC collected R130.4-million, according to Bloomberg calculations based on their quarterly disclosures to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

Action SA, founded in 2021 by former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba, garnered R67.4-million and the populist Economic Freedom Fighters R3.5-million.

The data doesn’t present a full picture of the parties’ financial positions because disclosure rules that came into effect in 2021 only require them to disclose individual donations of more than R100 000. They also raise money from membership fees and those that have seats in parliament are given an annual allocation from the taxpayer-funded Represented Political Parties Fund.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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