September 02, 2025.

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

Making headlines:

Social Development’s Lumka Oliphant suspended pending misconduct investigations 

ActionSA pushes Bill promoting use of public health system by MPs

And, Kenya’s IMF programme talks likely to drag beyond 2027 elections

Social Development Department communications chief director Lumka Oliphant has been placed on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of an investigation into potential misconduct, following findings in an Auditor General report, although the nature of the alleged misconduct remains unspecified.

In a statement Social Development director-general Peter Netshipale confirmed that Oliphant’s suspension was on full pay.

The Sunday Times has recently reported on the department’s R3-million spending on sending delegates, including the Social Development Minister, to a New York workshop.

Oliphant spoke out against the suspension in a public statement, saying she was not surprised, claiming that the department believed that she leaked that information to the Sunday Times.

ActionSA has announced its intention to table the Parliamentary and Provincial Medical Aid Scheme Amendment Bill in Parliament, which seeks to end compulsory membership in the scheme for MPs and other public office bearers, instead making membership in this scheme voluntary.

ActionSA Member of Parliament Dr Kgosi Letlape said public officials have been “shielded by a medical aid scheme exclusive to them”, and cut off from the struggles of South Africans who rely on public healthcare services.

The Amendment Bill forms part of ActionSA’s broader mission to ensure that public representatives experience the same realities as the people they serve.

Letlape said by making the Parliamentary and Provincial Medical Aid Scheme voluntary, this Bill restores the freedom of choice for MPs and judges to either remain on the scheme, join a different medical aid scheme, or, make use of public healthcare facilities like the people they represent.

He pointed out that the costs of compulsory Parliamentary and Provincial Medical Aid Scheme membership had become increasingly unsustainable, with deductions running into thousands of rands each month for members who often do not want or need the scheme.

Analysts say Kenya’s quest to secure new funding from the International Monetary Fund will likely be drawn out as both sides need to thrash out fresh reform parameters, and money may only begin flowing after 2027 elections.

An IMF team is expected in Nairobi this month to review the East African nation’s risk of debt distress and begin talks on renewed financing.

Standard Chartered chief economist for Africa and the Middle East Razia Khan said the IMF may require the government to repay part of its existing debt before a substantive new financing programme can be considered, with an agreement unlikely to be reached before the elections.

Kenya previously agreed on a four-year, $3.6-billion IMF programme that expired in April, but missed out on a final disbursement of about $850-million after struggling to meet key targets, including reducing its budget deficit and increasing tax revenue.

Treasury Secretary John Mbadi said in an interview last month that Kenya wants “to negotiate a programme that aligns with this government’s strategy and policy direction, one of which is to have tax predictability”. The authorities currently have “very limited space” to institute new taxes, he said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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