May 09, 2024.

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

Making headlines:

DA unhappy about Zanu-PF election observers, RISE Mzansi agrees but calls DA hypocrites

Hope fades for 44 trapped in collapsed South Africa building

And, Somalia asks UN to end political mission

DA unhappy about Zanu-PF election observers, RISE Mzansi agrees but calls DA hypocrites

The Democratic Alliance and RISE Mzansi have both expressed dissatisfaction with reports that the African National Congress has reached out to Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe to be observers in South Africa’s May 29 elections. 

The DA said the move from the ANC was a “desperate attempt to hang on to power by any means necessary”, adding that Zanu-PF’s assistance would “contaminate” South Africa’s electoral process.

The DA will file a complaint with South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission for “political interference”, citing potential harm of the credibility of the election outcome.

Meanwhile, RISE Mzansi national spokesperson Gugu Ndima pointed out that Zimbabwe had a history of election interference, election violence and political intolerance and said it was “shocking” that the ANC would “cozy up" with Zanu-PF.

But, she also hit back at the DA, saying the ANC approaching Zanu-PF was no different to the DA approaching the US for election observers.

Hope fades for 44 trapped in collapsed South Africa building

Relatives of 44 construction workers trapped under a collapsed building in the South African city of George faced a fourth day of anguished waiting as heavy machinery worked at the site in a race against time to find any survivors.

Of 81 people who were on site when the five-story building collapsed on Monday, eight have been confirmed dead and 29 alive, 16 of them in a critical condition, according to the latest figures from George municipality.

The identities of the missing have not been made public, but a list of names was circulating among groups of relatives who have congregated at the site since Monday, desperate for news of their loved ones.

Sniffer dogs had been brought in to search the site.

The causes of the collapse have yet to be established. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an investigation.

Somalia asks UN to end political mission

Somalia's government has requested the termination of a United Nations political mission that has advised it on peace-building, security reforms and democracy for over a decade, according to a letter the foreign minister wrote to the Security Council.

Three anonymous UN officials said the request for the departure of the 360-member United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia when its mandate expires in October took the mission by surprise.

In the face of continuous conflict since 1991, including a two-decade insurgency by al Qaeda-linked militants, Somali authorities have taken steps to restore services and provide a measure of security. But the Horn of Africa nation of 17-million people remains among the world's most violent and impoverished.

The end of the political mission is separate to a UN-mandated African Union safe-keeping mission, currently comprising at least 10 000 soldiers, which is due to withdraw and hand over to the Somali state by the end of this year.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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