For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: ANC loses wards to EFF and DA in by-elections; Zondo says Kollapen and Mlambo disclosed contact with Abramjee; And, Parliamentary committee calls for long-term fix to soften the blow of fuel price hikes

ANC loses wards to EFF and DA in by-elections

The Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters clinched wards from the African National Congress in by-elections in Gauteng and the Northern Cape.

Two by-elections were held in Gauteng - Ward 29 in Rand West City and Ward 53 in Soweto Protea Glen. 

The EFF obtained 55% in Rand West City, a 30% increase from its support in the municipal elections. 

The ANC managed 40% - a 20% decline from last year.

This year, the EFF won two wards from the ANC, breaking the ANC's hold in the Northern Cape's Phokwane Local Municipality. 

This is the third ward the EFF has managed to secure from the ANC in by-elections this year. 

The ANC retained Ward 53 in Soweto but the party showed a decline in support to below 50%. 

Zondo says Kollapen and Mlambo disclosed contact with Abramjee

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo says Justice Jody Kollapen and Acting Justice Dunstan Mlambo disclosed having contact with Ismail Abramjee – but denied that they had provided him with any confidential information about the Constitutional Court.

Zondo has also promised that the investigation he initiated into Abramjee's SMS – claiming to have it "on good authority" that the apex court would rule against Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane – would be "completed by the end of next week or in a few days thereafter" and its outcome made public.

On Tuesday, Mkhwebane released a "closing report" into her "own investigation" into the text that Abramjee sent to counsel for Parliament Andrew Breitenbach. The text was sent on the eve of her Western Cape High Court application to block Parliament from proceeding with an inquiry into her fitness, pending the outcome of that rescission case in the apex court.

Mkhwebane said her office had subsequently subpoenaed cellphone records, which revealed that there had been 18 calls between Abramjee and recently appointed Constitutional Court Justice Kollapen "between 04 January 2022 and 22 April 2022, two days before Adv. Breitenbach SC received the controversial SMS".

And, Parliamentary committee calls for long-term fix to soften the blow of fuel price hikes

Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy has called on the government to undertake a "comprehensive review" of South Africa's fuel pricing regime.

This comes after the National Treasury stepped in to provide relief to South African motorists ahead of this week's fuel price adjustment by extending a cut to the general fuel levy of R1.50 per litre.

While there was still a R2.43 hike to the price of fuel on Wednesday, the price would have been hiked by almost R4 without the extension. The relief is set to last from the beginning of June to early July, after which the adjustment will be dialled back to 75 cents per litre until early August.

Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy chair Sahlulele Luzipo said in a statement that with the government's relief expected to be withdrawn in two months, a sustainable plan should be developed for long-term relief.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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