July 2, 2015.
For creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

South Africa will assist in the investigation into the death of former Lesotho army commander General Maaparankoe Mahao.

At least six people were killed in clashes in Burundi’s capital ahead of poll results.

And, African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe says Cosatu must sort out it’s own issues.

 

South Africa will send pathologists and Zimbabwe and Namibia will send investigators to probe the killing last Thursday of Lesotho’s former army commander General Maaparankoe Mahao.

This followed a request by Lesotho’s Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili who will attend a summit of the regional intergovernmental body, the Southern African Development Community (or SADC) which has been called for Friday to discuss the death of Mahao.

The situation had thrown Lesotho into turmoil and all three opposition leaders have since fled the country, fearing for their lives including  former Prime Minister Tom Thabane who was an ally of Mahao.

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, also SADC’s Lesotho facilitator, announced these developments on Wednesday evening at the end of his mission to Lesotho to address the new crisis in the country.

He was sent to Lesotho as special envoy of President Jacob Zuma who is chairperson of SADC’s security organ.

 

At least six people, including one policeman, were killed in Burundi's capital on Wednesday in the latest violent clash between police and residents since Monday's parliamentary election.

Burundi has been locked in its worst political crisis since its civil war ended a decade ago, with protests erupting in late April against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid to seek a third term in office. Dozens have been killed.

Monday's parliamentary election was boycotted by the opposition, and the presidential vote, scheduled for July 15, also comes in the face of widespread protests.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Cibitoke neighbourhood, in the outskirts of the capital Bujumbura, when police were conducting patrols. Four people had been arrested and many guns and grenades had been seized.

 

The tripartite alliance will defend the Congress of South African Trade Union's (or Cosatu’s) unity, but the trade union federation needs to sort out its own problems, African National Congress (or ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Wednesday.

“The summit also affirms its support of the right of Cosatu to make its own decisions concerning internal discipline,” he said at the conclusion of a five-day summit of the ANC, Cosatu, the South African Communist Party and Sanco.

Members of Cosatu have been split over supporting its former general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and expelled trade union Numsa, and its current leadership under Sidumo Dlamini.

Mantashe said the alliance supported Cosatu’s back-to-basics strategy of providing a service to its members.

The summit welcomed the release of the Farlam Commission of Inquiry’s report into the violence in Marikana.

“Mining houses, not least Lonmin, must adhere to the obligations and commitments undertaken in the mining charter in regard to social-labour plans, amongst other things,” said Mantashe.

Also making headlines:

The Gauteng education department said it wanted to build a strong diagnostic programme that would identify children with special educational needs.

African National Congress deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said it was unfortunate that South Africa had to disobey the High Court in Pretoria’s order and not arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

The National Treasury has set a tax collection target of R1.1-trillion which the South African Revenue Service has to achieve for the 2015-16 fiscal year.

Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso has called for a national dialogue, with term limits as one of the subject. 

Bombers attack Nigeria's Maiduguri while vice president Yemi Osinbajo visits camps.

And, the United Nations Security Council blacklists six rival South Sudan generals.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.