For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: DA approaches court to interdict Hlophe from serving on JSC; Ramaphosa signs legislation establishing single public procurement framework; And, Death toll from Ethiopian landslides rises to 157

DA approaches court to interdict Hlophe from serving on JSC

The Democratic Alliance has approached the Western Cape High Court to have the National Assembly’s decision to appoint John Hlophe as a parliamentary representative to the Judicial Service Commission reviewed and set aside and have him interdicted from serving until a decision is made.

Earlier this month, impeached former judge president of the Western Cape Hlophe was nominated by the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party to serve on the JSC, which is responsible for nominating judges for appointment, and for disciplining judges.

Hlophe is the first judge to be removed from office by the NA, after the JSC found him guilty of dishonesty and gross misconduct. His conviction resulted from his attempts to unlawfully influence two judges of the Constitutional Court, Judges Bess Nkabinde and Chris Jafta, in 2008 to rule in favour of Jacob Zuma in cases before them.

The DA argued that it was irrational for the NA to allow an impeached judge to serve on the JSC as it was a conflict of interest.

Ramaphosa signs legislation establishing single public procurement framework

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Public Procurement Bill, which aims to create a single framework for the procurement of goods and services by all organs of State in a manner that facilitates preferential procurement and reduces the risk of corruption.

The Public Procurement Act will be administered by the Minister of Finance and applies to departments, constitutional institutions, municipalities, municipal entities, and public entities.

Among its wide-ranging provisions, the Act lists persons disallowed from submitting bids, including public office bearers, employees of Parliament or provincial legislatures, and officials or employees of public entities, constitutional institutions, municipalities and municipal entities.

In assenting to the Bill, Ramaphosa indicated that the legislation complied with Section 217 of the Constitution stipulating that goods and services be procured using a system that was “fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective”.

He also signed into law the the Climate Change Bill and the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill.

And, Death toll from Ethiopian landslides rises to 157

The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has risen sharply to 157 and the number could increase further, a government official said today.

A landslide buried people in Gofa zone in Southern Ethiopia regional state, then a second one engulfed others who had gathered to help on Monday morning, officials said.

Head of the National Disaster Response agency in Gofa Zone Markos Melese said searching is still going on and there are bodies that are yet to be recovered, noting that so far they have recovered 157 bodies from two villages.

On Monday, a official said at least 50 people had died and children and police officers were among the dead.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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