For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: South African consumer confidence improves on holiday season optimism; CDE urges NDPP panel to rigorously interrogate shortlisted candidates; And, Tanzania deploys police and army to prevent Independence Day protests

South African consumer confidence improves on holiday season optimism

South Africa's consumer confidence improved in the fourth quarter to hit its highest reading for 2025, helped by consumers’ appetite to spend into the holiday season, a survey showed today.

The consumer confidence index, sponsored by First National Bank and compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research, improved to -9 points from -13 points in the third quarter.

All three sub indices of the index — the economic outlook, household financial outlook and the suitability of the present time to buy durable goods — improved in the final quarter.

FNB Chief Economist Mamello Matikinca Ngwenya said sales volumes are projected to exceed the the numbers recorded during the 2024 holiday period.

The survey found that while retail sales growth is still expected to slow year-on-year, the rise in the index, together with employment gains and another interest rate cut, suggests the moderation could be less pronounced than previously expected.

CDE urges NDPP panel to rigorously interrogate shortlisted candidates

Ahead of the interviews to determine the next National Director of Public Prosecutions, prominent think tank the Centre for Development and Enterprise wants the advisory panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to rigorously interrogate the six shortlisted candidates.

The panel handling the selection process, chaired by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, will hold interviews tomorrow and Thursday.

CDE executive director Ann Bernstein said while the appointment of the NDPP is urgent, a slight delay is preferable to choosing the wrong person.

In October, Ramaphosa established a panel for the selection of the NDPP, ahead of the end of advocate Shamila Batohi’s term of office, in January 2026.

Bernstein explained that this is a position that demands first-rate legal competence, an unshakeable sense of justice, absolute integrity, the thickest possible skin, and the courage to withstand immense political pressure.

She said the the new NDPP must be a proven manager who can turn a large, struggling institution into an effective one.

She urged the panel to test whether the candidates would be willing and able to prosecute the powerful, and have the determination, experience and capacity to rebuild the NPA and restore public confidence in the rule of law.

And, Tanzania deploys police and army to prevent Independence Day protests

Police and soldiers deployed in force in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, today to try to prevent protests called for by activists to denounce the violent suppression of demonstrations around elections in October.

The government said any protests today, the anniversary of mainland Tanzania's independence from Britain in 1961, would amount to a coup attempt and urged people to stay at home.

Presidential and parliamentary elections on October 29 triggered the worst political violence in Tanzania's post-independence history. The United Nations has estimated that hundreds were killed.

The police and army were patrolling major streets in Dar es Salaam and checking the identification of anyone seeking to move around, residents said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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