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

Making headlines: ActionSA may exit National Dialogue after legacy foundations withdraw; Kganyago says CPI near 3% seen yielding lower rates; And, South African court orders repatriation of ex-Zambian leader Lungu's body

ActionSA may exit National Dialogue after legacy foundations withdraw

ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip today said his party will evaluate whether the upcoming National Dialogue represents a “real opportunity to pursue meaningful reform” or whether it is a “government-led initiative”.

This after news broke that seven legacy foundations have withdrawn from participation in the structures of the Preparatory Task Team for the first National Convention, set to take place on August 15, to prepare for the National Dialogue.

The foundations had cited a violation of some of the principles meant to underpin the dialogue, noting that the gathering had been rushed.

The Government of National Unity will convene the first National Convention, which begins a process of hosting a countrywide, people-led National Dialogue process, between August 15 and 17.

Kganyago says CPI near 3% seen yielding lower rates

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said inflation is expected to quicken over the next couple of months before cooling and that if it holds at current levels its forecasts predict lower interest rates.

Speaking during the bank’s AGM in Pretoria, he explained that this uptick in headline inflation is expected to be temporary, and that the Reserve Bank is looking forward to inflation coming back to around 3% over the medium term.

The central bank cut rates by 25 basis points to 7% on July 31 and unexpectedly announced that it prefers inflation to be at the floor of its 3% to 6% inflation target. That drew a terse response from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana that made clear he had not granted his permission for the move.

The central bank target has not been revised since being introduced in 2000.

And, South African court orders repatriation of ex-Zambian leader Lungu's body

A South African court today ordered the repatriation of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu's body for a State funeral, siding with Zambia's government over his family who wanted him buried in South Africa, not in the presence of his successor.

Lungu, Zambia's head of State from 2015 to 2021, died in South Africa on June 5 while receiving medical treatment.

South Africa's high court halted plans for Lungu to be buried in Johannesburg on June 25, hours before a private ceremony was due to start.

Zambia's government had approached the court arguing that Lungu should instead be given a State funeral and buried at a designated site in the Zambian capital Lusaka, like all other presidents since independence from Britain in 1964.

Lungu's family said he did not want current President Hakainde Hichilema, a longstanding political rival and his successor, at his funeral.

Today, a high court judge in Pretoria said Lungu's body should be handed over to a representative of Zambia's court system for repatriation.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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