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

Making headlines: 'Unity' top five emerges at ANC Gauteng conference as Lesufi takes top post, Ramaphosa says State capture era a kind of national trauma and, fears expressed over Zimbabwe Extension Permit cancellation

'Unity' top five emerges at ANC Gauteng conference as Lesufi takes top post

Following a divisive provincial conference, the Gauteng ANC emerged with a mixed bag of leaders representing both factions that backed Lebogang Maile and Panyaza Lesufi.

Lesufi was elected by a slim margin at the conference on Monday morning after obtaining 575 votes compared to Maile's 543.

The close victory margin resembled the scenes in 2018, when Lesufi won the deputy chairperson position against Maile.

The ANC in Ekurhuleni was the biggest winner, with the region securing the Gauteng secretary position after the election of Thembinkosi Nciza.

Ramaphosa says State capture era a kind of national trauma

President Cyril Ramaphosa said today that government must ensure there is redress, justice and accountability relating to those implicated in the Zondo Commission reports.

Last week, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo handed Ramaphosa the final instalment of the report into the allegations of State capture, four-and-a-half years after the Commission began its work.

Ramaphosa said South Africa was emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, which he said was a “great national trauma” that caused untold damage, destruction and heartbreak, but pointed out that the State capture era was a different kind of national trauma.

He said State capture’s damage extended beyond the ransacking of the public purse and the destruction of the country’s public institutions.

Fears expressed over Zimbabwe Extension Permit cancellation

Zimbabwean expatriates are scrambling to apply for a visa to continue living in South Africa after their Zimbabwe Extension Permits expired in December.

If they are unsuccessful, in some cases, an entire generation of children will be forced to relocate with their parents to a country they may never even have visited.

Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza says the agent, VFS Global, has only received 2 301 visa applications and 3 014 waiver applications from the exemption holders.

A special team at the department is still working through these for final approval.

According to the records of the department, a total number of 178 412 Zimbabwean nationals were granted exemptions.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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