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

Making headlines: Health ministry in urgent talks on cases at ports of entry amid new variant concerns, DA to elect interim WC leader following Bonginkosi Madikizela’s resignation and, Tanzania stops flights to and from India amid coronavirus surge

Health ministry in urgent talks on cases at ports of entry amid new variant concerns

The Health Ministry is urgently seeking advice on how to handle a rise in Covid-19 cases at South Africa's ports of entry, with the Ministerial Advisory Committee being consulted.

The government's efforts to seek advice come after 14 crew were quarantined on a bulk carrier cargo vessel from India at Durban Port as well as allegedly fraudulent Covid-19 declarations on a ship from Kenya.

The ministry is also expected to say how it will handle the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus in India, which is causing jitters over international travel to South Africa.

With South Africa's relatively low vaccination rates, there is rising concern over how the new variant will affect a possible "third wave" of infections.

DA to elect interim WC leader following Bonginkosi Madikizela’s resignation

The Democratic Alliance’s Western Cape Provincial Executive Committee will elect an interim provincial leader on May 29, following the resignation of Bonginkosi Madikizela.

He resigned last week amid the furore over his having faked qualifications on his CV.

DA provincial chairperson Jaco Londt said nominations open on Wednesday and the elections will take place at the DA Western Cape's Provincial Council meeting on May 29.

Tanzania stops flights to and from India amid coronavirus surge

Tanzania has suspended flights to and from India amid the Covid-19 surge in the Southeast Asian nation.

It joins a growing list of East African countries that have halted flights to and from India, including Uganda and Kenya.

The suspension is effective immediately and will apply until further notice.

These are among the latest tough measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus since President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office in March.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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