May 14, 2015.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

Parliament attempts to keep the Public Protector under its thumb.

Burundi’s army head says the coup attempt failed as fighting rages in the capital.

And, millions of households could lose out on municipal services if Treasury freezes funds.

Parliament is going to hold Public Protector Thuli Madonsela under its thumb by forcing her to meet extraordinary requirements.

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice ruled that Madonsela must now formally report to him four times a year. This is two more times than other Chapter 9 institutions and entities which the committee oversees.

The decision comes two weeks after chairperson Mathole Motshekga and African National Congress MP's personally attacked Madonsela and accused her of acting like the Democratic Alliance.

Meanwhile, Madonsela was so upset about the incident that she wrote a letter to Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete, asking her to intervene.

In the letter Madonsela asked that Parliament organise a meeting between her, Motshekga, Mbete and other presiding officers.

 

The head of Burundi's army said on Thursday that an attempted coup in that country had failed and forces loyal to President Pierre Nkurunziza were in control. This happened a day after another general said he had sacked Nkurunziza for seeking an unconstitutional third term in office.

Army Chief of Staff General Prime Niyongabo confirmed that the coup attempt failed, adding that the loyal forces were still controlling all strategic points.

A news agency reported that a journalist at the state broadcaster had said there was still heavy gunfire being heard around the state television and radio station in the capital on Thursday morning. Loud blasts were also heard in the capital.

Neither Niyombare nor his spokespeople were immediately available to comment.

Meanwhile, African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma condemned the coup attempt in Bujumbura. She called for the return to constitutional order and urged all stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint.

 

Great concern was expressed in Parliament over millions of households which could be without services due to a decision by Treasury to freeze funds to municipalities which owe money to Eskom.

This national grant to municipalities funds basic services. Municipalities with a small income base would be affected the most.

Fears have been expressed about municipalities salaries and money budgeted for services will have to be used to settle debts.

The Treasury earlier took the decision to freeze funds of 59 municipalities.

The municipalities owed Eskom and water supplies approximately R12.6-billion.

Meanwhile, the African National Congress asked in the select committee on finance for a political solution and requested that the ministers of finance and co-operative governance intervene.

Also making headlines:

The controversy-dogged Fisheries Department's marine patrol tender is up for grabs again.

Parliament denied that it had asked the Western Cape High Court to postpone the application by three opposition parties to have National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete removed.

And, dozens of Pygmies in Democratic Republic of Congo's southeast were killed by Bantu militiamen in the past week, in an escalation in a two-year ethnic conflict.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.