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

Making headlines: DA demands immediate suspension of SAPS Commissioner; DA unveils W Cape mayoral candidates; And, Xi says China is willing to work with Africa on Middle East conflict impact

DA demands immediate suspension of SAPS Commissioner

Democratic Alliance leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has called for the immediate precautionary suspension of National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola following his court appearance regarding an allegedly irregular R360-million South African Police Service health and wellness tender.

Masemola appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court today, facing four counts of violating the Public Finance Management Act. The charges relate to his role as the SAPS accounting officer regarding a contract awarded to Medicare24, a company linked to businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala.

Masemola was served with a warrant last month to secure his appearance in court. He is set to join 12 other senior police officials, who have already been charged with fraud and corruption, in the dock when the matter resumes on May 13.

Hill-Lewis wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend Masemola and appoint an Acting National Commissioner.

The DA also wants Ramaphosa to appoint a board of inquiry into Masemola’s fitness to hold office, in terms of section 9 of the SAPS Act.

DA unveils W Cape mayoral candidates

Democratic Alliance federal chairperson Solly Msimanga today said a functional South Africa depends on successful local government, describing municipalities as the "engines of governance" that require “experienced, vetted captains to succeed”.

Speaking at the announcement of the party's Western Cape mayoral candidates, Msimanga warned that the upcoming local government elections were essential to preventing provincial and national decline.

Eleven mayoral candidates were announced on Tuesday: Mario Wessels for Bergriver; Clinton Lerm for Overstrand; Raymond Ross for Cape Agulhas; Richard van Huyssteen for Matzikama; Harold Cleophas for Swartland; Jeremy Fasser for Stellenbosch; Jessica Kamkam for Bitou; Marais Kruger for Garden Route; Trevor Abrahams for Witzenberg; Brown Johnson for George and Stephen Korabie for Drankenstein.

DA Western Cape provincial leader Tertius Simmers highlighted that local government is the most intimate sphere of politics, where policy directly translates into personal experiences.

And, Xi says China is willing to work with Africa on Middle East conflict impact

China is willing to work with African countries to address the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict, President Xi Jinping said today while meeting with Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo in Beijing, state media reported.

Jinping urged China and Africa to jointly call for a ceasefire to end the hostilities and encourage the international community to "practice genuine multilateralism," CCTV reported.

Meanwhile, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said today he had cancelled his trip to Eswatini this week, after his government accused China of pressing three other African countries to revoke permission for his aircraft to fly over their territories.

Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Meng-an said the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for the presidential aircraft to cross their countries on his journey without prior warning.

"The actual reason was intense pressure exerted by Chinese authorities, including economic coercion," he told a news conference in Taipei.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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