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

Making headlines: DA challenges Parliament Secretary’s appointment, salary increase; Operation Vulindlela reports broader sweep, though progress uneven in Q1; And, data shows that Congo's Ebola outbreak now second largest on record

DA challenges Parliament Secretary’s appointment, salary increase

The DA will file court papers in the Western Cape High Court to have the appointment and salary of Secretary to Parliament Xolile George declared unlawful and set aside.

This legal move targets what the party says is an irregular 70% pay hike that saw George's salary surge from R2.6-million to R4.4-million within months of taking office.

The party contends that reversing the decision is vital to preserving institutional accountability and fiscal transparency in the legislative arm of government.

According to DA Parliamentary leader George Michalakis, the core of the legal challenge rests on misrepresentation by former presiding officers.

The DA alleges that the former Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo, deliberately misled members of Parliament.

Operation Vulindlela reports broader sweep, though progress uneven in Q1

National Treasury today highlighted sustained structural reforms aimed at reviving the country’s network industries, fixing local governance, and building a highly competitive investment environment.

Unveiling the first-quarter progress report for Operation Vulindlela, Treasury said despite navigating a highly volatile global economic environment, the initiative is successfully laying the groundwork for inclusive economic growth, reducing systemic constraints, and scaling up private sector participation.

Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the Presidency and National Treasury to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms and support economic recovery.

Treasury acknowledged that while progress across certain sectors remains uneven and slowed by institutional complexities, the broader strategy is entering a “mature phase”.

The State’s focus is actively shifting from legislative finalisation to accelerating delivery, eliminating administrative bottlenecks, and securing tangible infrastructure improvements, Treasury said.

And, data shows that Congo's Ebola outbreak now second largest on record

The Democratic Republic of Congo's fast-spreading Ebola outbreak is now the world's second-largest on record, government data showed today, as transmission continues to outpace efforts to contain the epidemic.

The number of cases reported across Congo has risen to 3 532, the Communications Ministry said in a statement, with 1 556 deaths recorded.

Less than three months since the outbreak began, the disease has killed five times as many people as previous outbreaks had by the same stage, according to Africa's top public health agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Health responders are also battling insecurity and attacks on health facilities across eastern Congo, where dozens of armed groups operate, while deep foreign aid cuts have stretched resources.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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