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

Making headlines: Local elections could take place between November and January – IEC awaits date from Minister; GPAA gets a new CEO; And, top South African court dismisses Lungu family’s burial appeal

Local elections could take place between November and January – IEC awaits date from Minister

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa will announce a date for the next Local Government Elections once his consultation with the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa has concluded.

The law provides that the term of a municipal council is five years and that elections must be held no later than ninety days following the end of the term.

The current municipal councils were elected on November 1, 2021.

The IEC said this means that the current term will end on November 2, 2026.

Therefore, the general elections of municipal councils fall due between November 2, 2026 and the end of January 2027.

GPAA gets a new CEO

National Treasury deputy director-general for corporate services Job Stadi Mngomezulu is Government Pensions Administration Agency acting CEO, effective from Monday.

Last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana placed GPAA CEO Kedibone Madiehe on precautionary suspension with full pay, effective immediately, following allegations of serious misconduct concerning high-value procurement transactions.

Mngomezulu joined the Treasury more than two decades ago as a director: financial management before being promoted to CFO.

He later served as a chief risk officer before taking up the role of deputy director-general: corporate services.

Godongwana expressed confidence in Mngomezulu's ability to lead the organisation during its transitional period.

And, top South African court dismisses Lungu family’s burial appeal

South Africa’s top court dismissed a request by the family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu to overturn a lower court’s decision that he should be buried in his home country.

Lungu died in a hospital in Pretoria on June 5 and his family wanted to hold a private burial ceremony for him in South Africa and for Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema to be excluded from the proceedings. The Zambian government insisted he should have an official funeral at home.

The Pretoria High Court earlier this month concluded that Zambia is entitled to insist on a state funeral for the former president. The Constitutional Court upheld the decision.

After Hichilema defeated Lungu in 2021 elections, Zambian prosecutors pursued numerous cases against the former president’s political allies and family members. Lungu had previously said the authorities were preparing to arrest him.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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