For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa says SIU and Special Tribunal have made good start in recovery of corruption funds; No new deaths in South Africa, as Covid cases increase by 972; And, US ready to help Africa find solution to possible higher food prices amid Russia-Ukraine war

Ramaphosa says SIU and Special Tribunal have made good start in recovery of corruption funds

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed confidence in the Special Tribunal and the Special Investigating Unit, saying they are the most effective weapons in the fight against corruption.

The Special Tribunal was established to recover public funds taken from the fiscus through corruption, fraud and illicit money flows.

Ramaphosa said since its establishment, the Tribunal has recovered around R8.6-billion from unlawful contracts.

He warned those who have stolen from the State, saying they will learn that crime does not pay.

He blamed corrupt relationships for the inability of the State to deliver on its mandate, saying corruption set back the State’s efforts to provide decent healthcare, clean water and power to communities and businesses.

No new deaths in South Africa, as Covid cases increase by 972

South Africa recorded 972 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, which represented a 5.5% positivity rate.

No new Covid-19-related deaths have been recorded in the last 48 hours, and the death toll remains 99 725. However, there may be a backlog in reporting Covid-19-related deaths due to an ongoing audit by the national Department of Health.

Ten new hospital admissions were reported in the last 24-hour reporting cycle. As of Sunday, 2 377 people were in public and private hospitals for Covid-19.

And, US ready to help Africa find solution to possible higher food prices amid Russia-Ukraine war

As Russia continues its war against Ukraine and ripple effects are felt in Africa, the US is seeking to cement relations with the African Union.

This was the outcome of a high-level dialogue between the AU Commission and the US in Washington DC on Thursday and Friday last week, coincidentally a week after African countries voted equivocally at the United Nations General Assembly's resolution on the invasion of Ukraine.

The UN vote, according to Abhishek Mishra, an associate fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, "is now going to have both immediate and lasting implications for Africa's economics and politics".

Seventeen African countries abstained from the UN vote, almost half of the AU member states that are sitting on the fence. Twenty-eight voted in favour of Ukraine and only one, Eritrea voted against Ukraine.

The war is affecting Africa because "both Russia and Ukraine are major suppliers of food commodities such as soya beans, wheat, barley, and sunflower oil to African countries", Mishra said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [@Polity ZA]