August, 15 2016.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines:
Student union set to begin meetings, consultations due to fee increases
Zambia's Lungu leads in election, main opponent alleges irregularities
And, ANC denies R1 billion campaign spending

Pressure is mounting on the higher education department as student leaders plan to begin consultations and mass meetings on Monday to pave a way forward on the issue of student fees.

The South African Union of Students, which claims to be the largest federation of student governance representation, says it has lost patience with the government and will accept nothing but a 0% fee increase in all universities in 2017.

While government still deliberates over next year’s university fees, students leaders have threatened to shut down universities across the country should the government implement a fee increase.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande on Sunday noted the threats and called for calm.

Nzimande said he had received a report from the Council on Higher Education on recommendations for 2017 fee adjustments on Thursday, and decided that further consultation was required. He had been expected to make an announcement on Friday, but the briefing was cancelled.

SAUS president Avela Mjajubana said the report back from the commission was delayed until May 2017 and this meant that thousands of students would have the doors of higher learning closed to them.

President Edgar Lungu was leading in Zambia's presidential election on Monday, with 85% of the constituencies counted, but his main rival demanded a recount in a key district, citing irregularities.

Lungu faces a stiff challenge from United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema, who accuses him of running the economy down, a charge the president has rejected.

With 50.14%, Lungu was ahead of Hichilema, with 47.7%, after results were collated from 132 of 156 constituencies in August 11 voting, the Electoral Commission of Zambia told a news conference.

But Hichilema told a separate media briefing his party wanted a recount of votes in Lusaka district "for the sake of free, fair, credible and transparent elections".

The African National Congress did not spend anywhere near R1-billion on its August 3 municipal elections campaign, secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday evening.

ANC head of campaigns Nomvula Mokonyane reportedly said the governing party spent more than R1-billion in the campaign process ahead of the tightly-contested polls.

Mokonyane, also an NEC member, reportedly said that whopping amount, which attracted criticism against the ANC, was spent on holding rallies, paying volunteers, buying T-shirts, and preparing candidate lists.

Also making headlines:
Ramaphosa appoints panel on minimum wage
Mantashe says no calls made for Zuma to step down
And, AngloGold’s free cash trebles, slashes net debt

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today