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

Making headlines: Zuma medical parole appeal set for August; South Africans face fuel price surge as levy concession ends; And, AfriForum says NHI is unaffordable for taxpayer

Zuma medical parole appeal set for August

The Supreme Court of Appeal is expected to hear an appeal on the release of former president Jacob Zuma from prison on medical parole.

The hearing is expected to take place on August 15 with heads of arguments being filed on June 1 and July 1.

The appeal comes after former national commissioner of correctional services Arthur Fraser's decision to release Zuma on medical parole.

Department of Correctional Services filed an application to appeal a ruling that Fraser's decision to release Zuma on medical parole was unlawful and that he should return to prison.

The two parties are appealing Judge Elias Matojane, who ordered that Zuma should return to prison and serve his sentence afresh.

South Africans face fuel price surge as levy concession ends

South Africans face record high gasoline prices in June as a subsidy to help motorists counter the impact of high crude costs exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine comes to an end.

With a weighting of almost 5% in South Africa’s inflation basket, the expected jump in pump costs is likely to push the gauge above the central bank’s target range and spur price hikes across the economy. The government reduced the levy on fuel by 40% in April and May, helping to keep a lid on prices.

The government adjusts pump prices on the first Wednesday of each month after taking into account changes in oil prices, the currency, taxes and retailers’ regulated margins. The price of 95-octane gasoline in Johannesburg, the commercial hub, is currently R21.84 a liter.

And, AfriForum says NHI is unaffordable for taxpayer

Civil rights organisation AfriForum has, once again, criticised the National Health Insurance and is urging President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla to reconsider implementing the scheme in South Africa.

AfriForum has written to Ramaphosa and Phaahla arguing that the NHI is unaffordable for taxpayers.

The civil rights organisation also argued that the centralised health fund will be susceptible to the same failures that have characterised nearly all State-owned entities.

AfriForum suggested that government should focus on solving pre-existing governance issues in the public health sector.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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