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

Making headlines: DA leader says GNU partner does not share Ramaphosa’s fondness for Russia, Putin; Parly committee urges Gauteng municipalities to step up water conservation amid crisis; And, South African inflation drops sharply, paving way for more rate cuts

DA leader says GNU partner does not share Ramaphosa’s fondness for Russia

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said his party distances itself from recent comments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Ramaphosa described Russia as “a valuable ally and friend”.

Ramaphosa held bilateral talks with Putin yesterday, where he led South Africa’s participation in the XVI Brics Summit.

On the sidelines of the Brics summit, Ramaphosa said South Africa continues to see Russia as a valued ally and friend, who supported the country since the days of apartheid.

Steenhuisen said the Democratic Alliance, as a key partner in the Government of National Unity, rejects this characterisation in no uncertain terms.

The Democratic Alliance does not consider Russia, or Vladimir Putin, to be an ally of our nation, he stated.

Putin; Parly committee urges Gauteng municipalities to step up water conservation amid crisis

The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation urged Gauteng municipalities to implement demand management strategies to curtail the high water demand in the province.

The committee said it is unsustainable that Gauteng’s per capita water demand is, on average, 279 ℓ a capita per day, compared with the international average of 173 ℓ a capita per day.

Committee chairperson Leon Basson urged Gauteng municipalities to implement water conservation and demand management to ensure system viability and engage in community awareness and communication initiatives to encourage reduction in water use.

Basson noted that Gauteng played a critical role in the economic wellbeing of the country, with water playing an essential socioeconomic role.

The committee attributed Gauteng’s water challenges to municipalities’ inability to perform their water conservation and advocacy roles, and their inability to pay for bulk services and infrastructure maintenance.

And, South African inflation drops sharply, paving way for more rate cuts

South Africa's inflation dropped sharply in September, hitting its lowest level in more than three years and bolstering expectations for another interest rate cut by the central bank next month.

Annual consumer price inflation slowed to 3.8% from 4.4% in August, Statistics South Africa data showed.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast inflation would drop to 3.9%, well below 4.5% - the mid-point of the South African Reserve Bank's 3%-6% target range.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% month-on-month in September, the same as a month before.

The central bank struck a measured tone at its September meeting when it trimmed its main interest rate by 25 basis points to 8%, saying there were still risks on the horizon.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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