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

Making headlines: SIU, Hawks seize evidence at Home Affairs offices to help with ongoing investigation; SECTION27 urges Ramaphosa to sign BELA Bill, amid opposition from others in civil society; And, Israel tells World Court South Africa case makes a mockery of genocide

SIU, Hawks seize evidence at Home Affairs offices to help with ongoing investigation

Members of the Special Investigating Unit with the assistance of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations, also known as the Hawks, seized computers, electronics, and documents which will assist with its ongoing investigation at the Department of Home Affairs offices.

Following a tip-off from a whistleblower suggesting maladministration at Home Affairs offices in five provinces, the SIU and Hawks today conducted searches and seized evidence at the various offices.

The tip-off claimed that Home Affairs officials in Gauteng, Limpopo, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are working with syndicates to duplicate application status files that are applied for in other offices and processed for a fee.

President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the SIU to investigate serious maladministration and improper conduct at Home Affairs through Proclamation 154 of 2024.

The SIU was granted a search warrant by the Special Tribunal, a judicial platform established to adjudicate on matters emanating from SIU investigations, on May 10.

SECTION27 urges Ramaphosa to sign BELA Bill, amid opposition from others in civil society

Public interest law centre SECTION27 on Friday strongly encouraged President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign into law the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill as soon as possible.

The Bill was passed by the National Assembly on Thursday, despite concerns. On Wednesday the Education Portfolio Committee met to consider the amendments and adopt a report for submission for the passing of the Bill in the National Assembly after it was sent back by the National Council of Provinces.

The Bill was subject to much public opposition owing to its removal of powers from parents and giving such powers to the State.

The Bill will now go to the President for assent.

Meanwhile, the FW de Klerk Foundation expressed concerns with Bill, which it said would infringe on the right to education in an official language of choice, even as the State had failed to effectively expand the official languages that education was offered in.

It said that it was also concerned with the criminalisation of parents for failing to send their children to school from Grade R, which it believed would disproportionately impact socio-economically vulnerable families.

AfriForum said it remained steadfast in its commitment to oppose the Bill, which it said continued to prove a threat to the existence of Afrikaans schools and quality education.

And, Israel tells World Court South Africa case makes a mockery of genocide

Israel defended the military necessity of its Gaza offensive today at the International Court of Justice after South Africa asked judges to order it to halt operations in Rafah and completely withdraw from the Palestinian territory.

Israeli Justice Ministry official called South Africa's case, which accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention, "completely divorced from facts and circumstances".

The convention requires all countries to act to prevent genocide, and the ICJ, also known as the World Court, which hears disputes between states, has concluded that this gives South Africa a right to make the case.

In past rulings, the court has rejected Israel's demands to dismiss the case and ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinians, while stopping short of ordering it to halt the assault.

Ahead of Israel's presentation, several dozen pro-Israeli protesters gathered outside, displaying photographs of hostages taken by Hamas fighters on October 7 and demanding their release.

The South African legal team, which set out its case for fresh emergency measures the previous day, framed the Israeli military operation as part of a genocidal plan aimed at bringing about the destruction of the Palestinian people.

South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, requested the court to order Israel to "immediately, totally and unconditionally, withdraw the Israeli army from the entirety of the Gaza Strip".

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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