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

Making headlines: Health Minister says there are no signs of a spike in Covid-19 infections after the elections, B4SA urges broad participation in Vooma Vaccination Weekend and, Sierra Leone president suspends state auditor pending probe

Health Minister says there are no signs of a spike in Covid-19 infections after the elections

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said that despite concerns that the November 1 local government elections would be a super spreader event, there has not been a spike in infections in any province, so far.

The country’s daily infection rate over the last four weeks has been between 200 and 500 cases.

Phaahla said the country’s 16 396 active cases is still high but lower than during peak periods.

The death rate has also reduced, with 17 deaths reported on Thursday.

B4SA urges broad participation in Vooma Vaccination Weekend

As government rolls out the second Vooma Vaccination Weekend, Business for South Africa is calling on people over the age of 12, and especially those over the age of 50, to take advantage of the weekend vaccination sites ahead of the upcoming holiday season. 

B4SA chair Martin Kingston said to get ahead of the expected fourth wave, as many people as possible need to get vaccinated this weekend.

He said the private sector will be supporting government’s vaccination drive, including ensuring that over 400 private vaccination sites are open on Saturday, and over 120 are open on Sunday.    

He encouraged the vaccinated to encourage unvaccinated friends and family to get the jab and take pressure off already overworked healthcare workers.

Sierra Leone president suspends state auditor pending probe

Sierra Leone's chief auditor Lara Taylor-Pearce, who has been widely praised for her efforts to improve government accountability, said President Julius Maada Bio had suspended her while the attorney general investigates her office.

The suspension comes weeks before her office is due to present an annual audit of the government's handling of public finances in 2020.

Taylor-Pearce was handed a letter addressed to the supervisory board of the state audit service that requested she and her deputy be immediately suspended while the attorney general sets up a tribunal to look into ASSL's work.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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