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

Making headlines: Cabinet encourages vaccination as it ends mask mandate, South Africa confirms first monkeypox case and, ANC says members 'implicated' in Zondo report will face party's integrity commission

Cabinet encourages vaccination as it ends mask mandate

While Cabinet has welcomed a significant drop in Covid-19 cases in the country, it is urging more South Africans to vaccinate against the virus, as South Africa joins the many countries that have done away with mask-wearing. 

Today, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla updated South Africans on the late night gazette which saw government repeal major Covid-19 regulations on mask-wearing, gathering limits and travel requirements.

He said the country’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic would help it against seasonal diseases such as influenza and tuberculosis.

While South Africa has not achieved 70% herd immunity, as of Wednesday, 37.7-million doses of vaccines have been administered to adults and children.

South Africa confirms first monkeypox case

South Africa has confirmed the first monkeypox case in the country.

The patient was a 30-year-old male from Johannesburg who had no travel history.

A process of contact tracing is currently under way.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. It is endemic in parts of Africa, but not South Africa.

ANC says members 'implicated' in Zondo report will face party's integrity commission

While yet to take a stronger stance against its members who are implicated in the state capture report, the African National Congress says it will subject its accused members to its integrity commission.

The final instalment of the state capture report has again cast a shadow of controversy over the ANC's handling of the state capture saga.

The State Capture Inquiry's chairperson, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, painted a gloomy picture of the ANC's failure to act as revelations of the capture of state institutions became evident.

Zondo raised concerns about the party's actions while incidents such as the Guptas' Waterkloof landing in 2013 became apparent.

He said if the ANC had acted in 2013, the country could have been saved billions of rands.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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