For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines: Ramaphosa stresses need to safeguard country’s democracy, BLSA addresses criticism regarding State capture involvement by one of its members and, Mali's ousted president Keita dies at 76

Ramaphosa stresses need to safeguard country’s democracy

President Cyril Ramaphosa is urging South Africans to protect the country’s Constitution, democracy and electoral processes as his government starts off 2022 battling a range of controversies.

Earlier this year, a fire gutted the National Assembly building, followed by the release of the eagerly awaited Zondo Commission report, which made findings against top African National Congress members, State companies and government officials.

More recently, Ramaphosa’s own Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, wrote a controversial opinion piece that criticised the Constitution and judiciary.   

He noted that while the Parliamentary building was damaged beyond use, Parliament continued its work as democratic institutions were not defined by buildings.

BLSA addresses criticism regarding State capture involvement by one of its members

Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has addressedhe criticism directed at the organisation and herself over the stance taken on one of its members, consulting firm Bain, following the publication of the first part of the Zondo Commission’s report into State capture.

Mavuso said what Bain did at [the] South African Revenue Services was highly damaging and every South African is right to be angry.

She added that anger needs to be channeled properly.

She questioned why the majority of the criticism does not acknowledge BLSA’s actions in response to what Bain did.

Mali's ousted president Keita dies at 76

Former Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was ousted by the military in 2020 after a turbulent seven-year rule, has died, officials said on Sunday.

The 76 year old known by his initials IBK, Keita ran the West African country from September 2013 until August 2020, during which Islamist insurgents overran large areas and ethnic violence flared.

Disputed legislative elections, rumours of corruption and low economic growth also fuelled public anger and drew tens of thousands onto the streets of the capital Bamako in 2020 to demand his resignation.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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