For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: ANC caucus in Joburg at loggerheads over who to vote for; DA hits back at Mantashe for blaming the private sector for loadshedding; And, Cele urges Ramaphosa to deploy army to curb ongoing conflict in Port St Johns villages

ANC caucus in Joburg at loggerheads over who to vote for

A stalemate ensued within the African National Congress caucus in the City of Johannesburg council when the party's councillors disagreed on who to vote for as the mayor.

The party requested a three-hour adjournment of the council sitting, which started at 10:00 today.

Its councillors are said to be undecided on whether to vote for ANC Greater Johannesburg region chairperson, Dada Morero; council speaker and Congress of the People member, Colleen Makhubela; or another Al Jama-Ah member, Kabelo Gwamanda.

The initial agreement that the ANC had with its coalition partners was that it would throw its weight behind another Al Jama-Ah councillor after the resignation of Al Jama-Ah's Thapelo Amad as the mayor last week.

Amad's resignation came after the ANC's initial arrangement with the Patriotic Alliance, which saw it win over the metro it had lost to a DA-led coalition, fell apart. The PA called for Amad's axing and ActionSA tabled a vote of no confidence in Amad, who resigned before he could be removed.

DA hits back at Mantashe for blaming the private sector for loadshedding

The Democratic Alliance said today that no amount of blame shifting will hide the undeniable fact that Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe has, since his appointment, failed to advance the procurement of independent power generation and the incentivisation of private investment in the energy sector.

Mantashe recently blamed the private sector for not investing in new power plants, which he says led to loadshedding. 

The DA pointed out that since his appointment, Mantashe frustrated and blocked the full participation of the private sector in the energy sector. The party added that Mantashe insisted that electricity generation will remain largely in government hands for the foreseeable future and that overreliance on the private sector would be a mistake.

And, Cele urges Ramaphosa to deploy army to curb ongoing conflict in Port St Johns villages

Police Minister Bheki Cele says a request to deploy the army to deal with ongoing violence and conflict in villages around KwaMajola, near Port St Johns, in the Eastern Cape has been sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Cele visited the area on Monday and announced police tactical units would be deployed to the area, which has been devastated by conflict that is said to date back over six decades. 

Over the years, conflict in the area has escalated to acts of violence and crime. At least 22 people have been killed in the last three years, while over 140 homesteads and houses have been razed.

In the latest incident on Friday, the Mthatha Express reported that two pupils from Majali Technical High School were fatally shot in the Siqhozameni Locality, Majola Administrative Area.

They were shot on their way home after visiting their friends.

Cele and national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola also visited the area on Sunday in an effort to find a solution to the fighting plaguing the area. 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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