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

Making headlines: JSC says Hlophe will interview potential Western Cape judges despite gross misconduct finding; UCT academic programme suspended until Friday; And, Egypt to purchase 20-million doses of Sinopharm vaccine

JSC says Hlophe will interview potential Western Cape judges despite gross misconduct finding

The Judicial Service Commission is adamant that Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe will participate in the selection of judges for his division on Friday despite being found guilty of gross misconduct.

JSC spokesperson Dali Mpofu made the annoucement following a meeting between the commission, Hlophe and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, raising questions about the seriousness with which the JSC regards the findings against Hlophe.

Last Saturday, a Judicial Conduct Tribunal – led by retired judge Joop Labuschagne – found that Hlophe had attempted to sway two Constitutional Court justices to rule in favour of then-ANC president Jacob Zuma, in a crucial 2008 challenge to search warrants used to seize 93 000 pages of corruption trial evidence against him.

UCT academic programme suspended until Friday

The University of Cape Town announced that its academic programme would be suspended for the rest of the week, following a massive fire that started in the city on Sunday.

The fire reached UCT’s Rondebosch campus, forcing the university to evacuate all buildings, including residences, and lock down the campus.

UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said the assessment of the damages and the need to clean residences and academic buildings means that the academic programme at UCT will begin on Monday, April 26.

Phakeng added that the faculties will each manage the lost week in terms of the curriculum and will communicate with their students about scheduled tests and assignments.

And, Egypt to purchase 20-million doses of Sinopharm vaccine

Egypt has agreed to purchase 20-million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine produced by China's Sinopharm and expects to receive a batch of 500 000 shots this month.

The agreement boosts vaccination efforts in Egypt, which has a population of 100-million and has so far received a total of just over 1.5-million doses of Sinopharm and of the AstraZeneca shot.

Earlier this month, Egypt announced it was preparing to produce up to 80-million doses of the vaccine produced by China's Sinovac.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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