For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lynne Davies.

Making headlines: Organising committee formed after withdrawal of legacy foundations from National Dialogue task team; BLSA to launch Reform Tracker to track government progress on Thursday; And, Mali arrests dozens in military who posed threat to government, sources say

Organising committee formed after withdrawal of legacy foundations from National Dialogue task team

Representatives from civil society, social partners, National Economic Development and Labour Council, the University of South Africa and the Presidency will now form part of an organising committee to run the upcoming National Convention, after seven legacy foundations withdraw from its task team on Friday.

The foundations called for a postponement of the National Dialogue to allow for adequate preparation, coherence and participatory integrity, citing violations of the dialogue’s core principles.

The National Convention kicks off on August 15 and 16 at Unisa, in Pretoria, and marks the beginning of the National Dialogue process, which will roll out over the next few months across the country in the form of public dialogues in communities and sectors.

The National Convention Organising Committee held a media briefing today to present a public update on the convention and dialogue, following the controversy last week.

They acknowledged that withdrawal of the foundations and asserted that the process needed to swiftly continue.

BLSA to launch Reform Tracker to track government progress on Thursday

Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa has reiterated its plans to launch the BLSA Reform Tracker – a publicly available online tool that tracks government reforms, assesses progress and successes, and highlights blockages, says BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso.

The organisation in May first announced that it would be launching the tool, which will enable the public and private sectors to quickly track the progress of reforms and empower all stakeholders to collaborate more effectively to deliver an improved business environment.

“t will track many reforms, including for the projects that business has partnered with government. I hope the tool will help accelerate progress to ensure that reforms conclude.

The BLSA Reform Tracker will be launched in Johannesburg on August 14 and in Cape Town on August 15.

And, Mali arrests dozens in military who posed threat to government, sources say

Mali has arrested more than 30 soldiers and military officials accused of attempting to destabilise the government, two sources said, a sign of internal tensions as the West African nation's leaders take steps to strengthen their hold on power.

The arrests have unfolded over multiple days and have targeted several senior officials including General Abass Dembele, former governor of the central Mopti region, said a Malian security source who put the total number of arrests at 36.

Mali's military leaders took power after coups in 2020 and 2021, vowing to restore security in a country where militant groups control large areas of the north and centre and stage frequent attacks on the army and civilians.

In April, a national conference recommended naming General Assimi Goita, who became interim leader in 2021, as president with a five-year mandate, as well as dissolving all political parties.

The move spurred rare protests in the capital Bamako in early May, and the junta responded by suspending political activities across the country.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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