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

Making headlines: Top US senator demands 'immediate' review of SA’s Agoa status; EFF wants govt to ‘completely’ sever all relations with Israel;  And, More than 7 400 cases and nearly 70 malaria deaths recorded in SA

Top US senator demands 'immediate' review of SA’s Agoa status

A US senator has written a document proposing several amendments to legislation renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act including that there should be an immediate review of South Africa’s status for preferential trade access.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons’s discussion draft for the Agoa Renewal Act of 2023 proposes that the programme, which is expiring in 2025, should be extended by 16 years. He says that while the US president currently reviews the eligibility of countries annually, this should be changed to every three years. He, however, also recommended that the US "undertake an immediate out-of-cycle review of South Africa", no later than 30 days after the legislation is enacted.

Coons, who chairs the US Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, was part of a group of both Democratic and Republican legislators who asked the White House to move the Agoa summit away from South Africa, accusing it of deepening its military relationship with Russia.

The group also questioned South Africa's eligibility for trade benefits under Agoa.

Coons has close ties with South Africa, and in his youth volunteered with the South African Council of Churches, then led by late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. In 1986, he published a book about the anti-apartheid disinvestment movement among US universities. 

EFF wants govt to ‘completely’ sever all relations with Israel

The Economic Freedom Fighters has called on government to “completely sever” all political and economic relations with Israel.

On Monday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced that Cabinet has decided to recall all South African diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultation. This as Israel continues its military assault on Gaza.

The EFF believes a complete severing of relations with Israel will show South Africa’s continued solidarity with Palestine.

The EFF has called out support for Israel from what it calls the “white supremacist, imperialist, power-hungry” US, France, Germany and other Western countries.

And, More than 7 400 cases and nearly 70 malaria deaths recorded in SA

The Department of Health is urging South Africans to be vigilant ahead of "malaria season" after almost 70 people died of the illness this year.

According to health department spokesperson, Foster Mohale, summer marks the start of malaria season in South Africa due to higher temperatures and increased rainfall in malaria transmission areas.

At least 66 deaths have been recorded between January and October, and all people who experience malaria-suspected symptoms, which include headache, fever, chills muscle and joint pains, are urged to visit their local health facility without delay for effective treatment if they test positive.

Mohale explained that So far, over 7 400 malaria cases have been recorded between January and October this year in South Africa, and only 17% of these cases are locally acquired. The rest are imported cases, meaning more people got infected while out of the country, he said.

The department has urged people to take precautions when travelling to and from malaria-endemic or high-risk areas.

Most of the people who were hospitalised, had travelled to Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola.

In South Africa, malaria is endemic to Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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