For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Zuma’s defence lawyers quit less than a month before his corruption trial starts, ANC urges member support at municipal by-elections and, Ramaphosa says immediate cessation of violence necessary to bring peace in Chad

Zuma’s defence lawyers quit less than a month before his corruption trial starts

Former President Jacob Zuma's defence lawyers have told the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg that they are no longer representing him – less than a month before his corruption trial is due to start.

Mabuza Attorneys filed a formal notice of withdrawal as Zuma's attorneys of record at the High Court on Wednesday morning.

Attorney Eric Mabuza declined to provide reasons for the withdrawal, which has resulted in the effective resignation of Zuma's entire legal team, including advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, from his corruption trial.

The withdrawal comes a week after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Zuma's challenge to a ruling of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, which found that he was not entitled to state funding for his corruption trial legal costs and ordered him to pay back an estimated R25-million in taxpayers' money that was already spent on the costs of the trial.

ANC urges member support at municipal by-elections

The African National Congress has urged its members and supporters, who are eligible to vote, to go out in their numbers and make their mark to ensure an “overwhelming victory and stable local government”.

Municipal by-elections are taking place across different parts of the country from Wednesday.

The party urged all South Africans voting on Wednesday to adhere to the Covid-19 health protocols and to maintain social distancing  at the various polling stations.

Ramaphosa says immediate cessation of violence necessary to bring peace in Chad

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the ongoing violence in Chad and has called for calm and a cessation of fighting, following news that Chadian President Idriss Déby had died allegedly while leading his military forces to repel a rebel attack.

Deby, aged 68, died on Tuesday. He governed the Central African country since rising to power in a 1990 coup. 

Ramaphosa extended his condolences on behalf of government and South Africans, to Déby’s family and the government and people of Chad.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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