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

Making headlines: Ramaphosa expecting run-up to National Dialogue to be used for political point-scoring; DPWI welcomes R67m SIU recovery order against contractor; And, Kenya swears in top electoral officials after president's approval

Ramaphosa expecting run-up to National Dialogue to be used for political point-scoring

President Cyril Ramaphosa today advised members of the National Dialogue Eminent Persons Group not to be distracted by misinformation and misrepresentation, saying he expects the National Dialogue process to be contested and used to score political points, or to advance interests.

Ramaphosa was speaking during a meeting with the Eminent Persons Group, which will guide and champion the National Dialogue.

He met with them at the Union Buildings, where he told them that they should not be surprised if there is “scepticism or disinterest” from some quarters.

Last month, Ramaphosa announced that a National Convention, which will set the agenda for the National Dialogue, will be held on August 15.

Ramaphosa claimed there was already misinformation and misrepresentation on the cost of the National Dialogue and on who was leading it.

He noted that this should not distract the Group from doing its work, saying the Eminent Persons Group should not fear criticism, but welcome it.

DPWI welcomes R67m SIU recovery order against contractor

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed the R67-million recovery order obtained by the Special Investigating Unit against a plumbing contractor found to have defrauded the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.

The order, granted by the Special Tribunal, also prevented a potential counterclaim by the contractor of R33-million.

The order relates to contracts totalling R67-million that were awarded to the contractor between 2015 and 2019.

The investigation uncovered a complex network of corruption involving falsified bidding documents, undisclosed conflicts of interest and payments made to officials who manipulated the tendering process.

The department will also strengthen financial controls and ensure that all procurement is fair, transparent and compliant with the law. In this regard, Macpherson stated that the department is working with the SIU to finalise lifestyle audits for over 400 high-risk officials.

And, Kenya swears in top electoral officials after president's approval

Kenya swore in a group of top electoral officials today, hours after their approval by President William Ruto, filling essential positions which had long been left vacant in a country with a long history of contentious and often violent elections.

The chairperson and six commissioners, who will serve for six years, took their oaths at a ceremony overseen by Chief Justice Martha Koome, local broadcast footage showed.

The East African nation's next general election will be held in 2027, but Ruto is already under pressure from street protests led by young people dissatisfied with high living costs, corruption and police brutality.

The speedy appointment of electoral officials was one of the rallying cries during protests last year.

Chairperson Erastus Ethekon is a human rights lawyer and previously worked as Turkana County's top legal adviser. He has also worked with the United Nations Development Programme and the UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

Don’t forget to follow us on the X platform, at the handle @PolityZA