For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Trent Roebeck.

Making headlines: ANC condemns “genocidal actions” by Israel, Ramaphosa and Zelensky talk peace, Gaza, and grain and, Inflation rises sharply, raising concern about interest rates

ANC condemns “genocidal actions” by Israel

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula expressed the party’s condemnation of what it calls “genocidal actions” by Israel against Palestinian civilians, following the bombing of a hospital in Gaza, yesterday.

The ANC is calling for the International Criminal Court and The International Court of Justice to act to address what the party calls “genocidal crimes”. 

The ANC will work with NGO's and faith-based organisations for the formation of a global anti-apartheid movement against Israel. 

Mbalula said the party further characterised the “inhuman call by Israel” for 1-million Palestinians to evacuate and desert their homes as “deeply concerning”. 

Ramaphosa and Zelensky talk peace, Gaza, and grain

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as "lengthy and fruitful" a call with President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday, providing a long list of issues that they discussed, some of them highly sensitive to South Africa's partner, Russia.

Ramaphosa had said nothing at all about the call, and his office was not available today to confirm it had happened at all.

According to Zelensky's office, Ramaphosa agreed on the need to continue exporting Ukrainian grain, which is critical for the world's food security.

Zelensky had invited South Africa to take part in a summit on the Grain from Ukraine initiative.

Russia has promised to send countries, including Zimbabwe, a vast amount of free grain, under its Black Sea initiative. That promises to disrupt the regional grain market, where South Africa is a key exporter.

Inflation rises sharply, raising concern about interest rates

Annual consumer price inflation ticked up to 5.4% in September from 4.8% in August, the second consecutive increase.

It was in line with economists' expectations.

The main contributors to the increase were food and non-alcoholic beverages, which increased 8.1% year-on-year, housing and utilities, miscellaneous goods and services and transport, according to Stats SA.  

The sizable step up in CPI doesn’t bode well for interest rates, which are already at a 14-year high.

In the twice-yearly Monetary Policy Review, which was published this week by the Reserve Bank, it was noted that "upside risks have strengthened in recent months, heightening uncertainty about the precise path for inflation".’
 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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