For Creamer Media’s Polity I am Lumkile Nkomfe.

Maling Headlines: DA calls for cancellation of army’s upcoming conference in light of DRC conflict; Parly committee happy with PostBank progress on Sassa cards; And, Zambia’s inflation hits 39-month high as food prices surge

DA calls for cancellation of army’s upcoming conference in light of DRC conflict

The Democratic Alliance wants the immediate cancellation of the South African Army’s upcoming Cadre Command Conference, citing respect for the country’s troops and the “disastrous” situation the army is in.

On Tuesday, the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans welcomed confirmation from the South African National Defence Force that all injured soldiers had been evacuated from Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

So far, 14 soldiers have lost their lives in the conflict, this amid concerns regarding the serviceability of the SANDF’s Prime Mission Equipment and mission deployment readiness.

South Africa’s soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community mission to the DRC in Goma, where they were recently ambushed by M23 rebels, who has regrouped since 2023 and are fighting against DRC forces.

Parly committee happy with PostBank progress on Sassa cards

Portfolio Committee on Communication and Digital Technologies chairperson Khusela Diko says the committee “appreciated” the PostBank’s 28% progress so far in swopping 797 497 social grant cards.

Last month, Sassa and PostBank announced that social grant recipients must replace their Sassa gold cards with the PostBank’s black cards, with a deadline of February 28.

The deadline was later extended to March 20.

Diko said although the PostBank is not at the level it should be, its employees are doing their absolute best, under the circumstances.

She acknowledged PostBank's work during the “unprecedented” migration process, and noted that significant challenges still persisted, particularly in the Western Cape, as beneficiaries stood in long queues, and as staff were inadequately trained and resources were strained.

And, Zambia’s inflation hits 39-month high as food prices surge

Zambia’s annual inflation accelerated to a more than three-year high in February as the impact of its worst drought in more than a century and a steep depreciation in the kwacha continued to push up meat and grain costs.

Consumer prices rose 16.8% this month, compared with 16.7% in January, acting Statistician-General Sheila Mudenda told reporters in an online briefing, on Thursday.

Zambia’s central bank this month raised the key interest rate by a half percentage point to 14.5%, its highest level in more than eight years, to support the currency and curb inflation. Annual inflation has exceeded the central bank’s 6% to 8% target band since May 2019.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said inflation will probably peak by May as improved rains help slow food and electricity price growth.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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