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

Making headlines: EFF will elect new leadership in December; Kganyago sees South African inflation dip creating policy space; And, Steenhuisen vows more targeted approach to resolving food security challenge

EFF will elect new leadership in December

The Economic Freedom Fighters will hold its third National People's Assembly to elect new leadership between December 12 and 15, as party leader Julius Malema lauds members’ behaviour, calling it a sign of political maturity. 

The EFF’s National People's Assembly will take place at the Nasrec Expo Centre, with the party’s branches preparing to convene meetings to meet the party’s October 30th deadline.

Malema explained that a branch that meets the requirements is one that has 100 paid-up members who are registered to vote in their branch and received a minimum of 10% of the votes in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

Malema stated that the party’s top brass are satisfied that most EFF members have conducted themselves with “maximum discipline” and in line with the party’s guidelines released in July, which he said demonstrated a sign of political maturity and the growth of the organisation, with the exception of minor incidents and disputes, which he said were all positively resolved. 

Kganyago sees South African inflation dip creating policy space

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said inflation could fall below 4% in coming months, creating more room for action after officials cut interest rates in September.

The central bank’s forecasts see consumer price growth settling at 3.6% in the last quarter of this year and averaging 4% in 2025.

Official inflation data showed consumer price growth slowed to 4.4% at an annual rate in August, falling back below the midpoint of the bank’s 3% to 6% target range where it prefers to peg price expectations.

Cooler inflation encouraged policymakers to cut rates by 25 basis point last month to 8%.

Core inflation, which excludes food and energy costs and slowed to 4.1% in August, suggests that “the disinflation process is now firmly underway,” Kganyago said.

And, Steenhuisen vows more targeted approach to resolving food security challenge

About 20-million South Africans, or 63% of households, are food insecure, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen revealed at the unveiling of the results of the National Food and Nutrition Security Survey today.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council to conduct the survey across all nine provinces of South Africa between 2021 and 2023.

The aim of the survey was to generate baseline data that government can use to provide targeted support interventions to households that are food insecure.

Despite South Africa having numerous food programmes in place and being regarded as food secure at national level, millions of people still experience hunger on a daily basis.

Steenhuisen said not enough resources on government’s part had been allocated to food access programmes, and that government had more of a “shotgun” approach than a targeted approach to its support in this regard historically.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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