March 26, 2024.

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

Making headlines:

Electoral Court rejects ANC's bid to remove Zuma's MK Party from ballot

DA’s motion of no confidence against Speaker to be scheduled

And, Decline in formal sector employment for 2023 Q4

Electoral Court rejects ANC's bid to remove Zuma's MK Party from ballot

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has lost a bid to have the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, endorsed by former ANC leader Jacob Zuma, removed from the ballot before the elections in May.

The Electoral Court dismissed the application in a judgment handed down on Tuesday. The ANC had argued that the MK party illegally used a logo similar to one used by the ANC’s military wing and should therefore be deregistered.

Judge Leicester Adams said in the ruling, there is nothing unlawful about the registration, while fellow Judge Lebogang Modiba said the application is dismissed with no order as to costs.

The MK Party’s participation in the election risks further eroding support for the ANC, which may lose its national majority for the first time since the party came to power at the end of apartheid 30 years ago.

DA’s motion of no confidence against Speaker to be scheduled

The Democratic Alliance’s motion of no confidence against National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will go ahead, following the acceptance of the motion by acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli.

Mapisa-Nqakula faces allegations of corruption and money laundering, reportedly totalling over R4-million. Political parties, including the DA, are calling for her removal.

Mapisa-Nqakula, who is currently on special leave, called the allegations levelled against her “baseless”.

The DA made its submission for a motion of no confidence to the acting Speaker last week, in line with the Constitution, and Tsenoli has written to DA Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube, advising her of his decision to accept the motion.

The date for the motion will be announced following consultation with African National Congress Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina.

Decline in formal sector employment for 2023 Q4

The Statistician-General of South Africa Risenga Maluleke today reported a decrease in the total number of employees in the formal non-agricultural sector of 194 000 in the fourth quarter of 2023, bringing the level of employment to 10.7-million people.

Maluleke was releasing the results of the Non-financial Census of Municipalities 2022, where he said the decrease is from 10 899 000 employed in September 2023 to 10 705 000 in December 2023. He said this is a decline of 1.8%.

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics survey released by Statistics South Africa, 98 000 jobs were created between December 2022 and December 2023.

Maluleke noted that the community services industry saw the highest number of job losses, totalling 214 000, followed by the construction industry which lost 19 000 jobs, and the business services industry, which experienced a loss of 12 000 jobs.

The mining sector reported a moderate decrease, with 1 000 job losses reported during the same period, he added.

However, he explained that certain industries experienced growth in employment, such as the trade industry which saw an increase of 31 000 jobs for a total of 56 000 jobs, trailed by the transport industry with 2 000 jobs, and the electricity industry with 1 000 jobs.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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