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

Making headlines: Zondo clarifies report delay, Lamola says Namibia didn’t ask SA for assistance in Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala theft and, Phaahla proposes an end to mask-wearing

Zondo clarifies report delay

The Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture said today that Chief Justice Raymond Zondo wanted a final opportunity for quality assurance before submitting the last part of the Commission's report on State capture to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The report was expected to be handed over to Ramaphosa last Wednesday.

Ramaphosa and Zondo had a brief telephone call yesterday in which Zondo "offered reassurance on the delivery of the report and discussed the coordination for the handover ceremony".

The report is now expected to be handed over to Ramaphosa tomorrow.

Lamola says Namibia didn’t ask SA for assistance in Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala theft

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said today that no official request for mutual legal assistance was made by Namibia in the Phala Phala farm theft saga.

The alleged theft of foreign currency from a farm owned by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 has been dubbed the Phala Phala theft.

Last week, the Namibian Police Force said it had put in a formal request through South Africa’s Ministry of Justice to confirm whether a crime was registered in South Africa in relation to the theft.

Lamola outlined that any country requesting mutual legal assistance must make a submission at its own embassy or the South African Embassy or High Commission in that particular country.

The request will make its way to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which will provide proof of receipt and transmit the request to the Central Authority.

Phaahla proposes an end to mask-wearing

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla is of the view that mask-wearing is no longer needed, following a decline in the number of reported Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

In a letter addressed to Health MECs, he revealed a decline in the effective reproductive rate of the Covid-19 virus and in the positivity rate, owing to low numbers in testing.

Phaahla is also proposing that limitations on gatherings be lifted, as well as entry limitations to venues.

Phaahla explained that the regulations were intended as a temporary “stop-gap measure” so that the country could effectively deal with a fifth wave of the pandemic.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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