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

Making headlines: Godongwana rules out creation of a new State bank, Winde vows to use 'all regulatory and legislative mechanisms' to deal with Cape taxi protest violence and, South Africa records 1 393 new Covid infections and no new deaths

 

Godongwana rules out creation of a new State bank

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana ruled out the creation of a new state bank, saying the country lacked the money needed to back it.

Godongwana told lawmakers that the government-owned Post Bank already accepts deposits and if another lender were to be established, it would have to be self-funded.

His comments came a day after the central bank announced plans to list its stake in African Bank Holdings, which Godongwana’s predecessor, Tito Mboweni, last year suggested could be used as a building block for a new lender.

The South African Reserve Bank said it had opted for an initial public offering for African Bank after it failed to identify suitable investors to buy its 50% shareholding.

 

Winde vows to use 'all regulatory and legislative mechanisms' to deal with Cape taxi protest violence

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has vowed to act against taxi operators who resort to violence during today’s protest action.

The strike is by taxi associations affiliated to Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association and Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association.

The protest was sparked by grievances over the impoundments of taxis and other issues affecting the taxi industry

This morning, three Golden Arrow buses were set alight, leaving four people injured and City of Cape Town infrastructure damaged.

Winde said he will use all regulatory and legislative mechanisms to deal with this issue, which include suspending or even withdrawing operating licences and holding associations accountable for the actions.

 

South Africa records 1 393 new Covid infections and no new deaths

South Africa recorded 1 393 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, which represented a 5.7% positivity rate.

According to a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the country recorded more than 3.7-million laboratory-confirmed cases.

No new Covid-19 deaths were reported in the last 48 hours, with the death toll at 99 899.

Gauteng recorded 480 new cases on Wednesday, the Western Cape 348 and KwaZulu-Natal 303.

There were 41 new hospital admissions in the last 24-hour reporting cycle.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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