For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: IEC records 43% surge in candidates for Nov elections; Dirco clears High Commissioner Sooklal of suspicion of facilitating Zuma-Gupta meetings; And, Congo's Ebola outbreak kills more than 3 000

IEC records 43% surge in candidates for Nov elections

The IEC has announced a massive surge in political participation ahead of the upcoming local government elections in November, while clarifying that candidates who failed to finalise their applications are officially out of the running.

Addressing the media in Centurion today, IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya revealed that a staggering 142 072 candidates have been nominated to contest 10 526 council seats across South Africa’s municipalities.

The final tally marks a roughly 43% increase compared with the 2021 municipal elections, which saw 99 000 nominations filed before submissions officially closed at 17:00 last Friday.

Yeaterday the ANC stated that on the final day of submission, the IEC’s candidate-capture system experienced technical issues that impacted several contesting political parties.

Moepya emphasised that the electoral commission is currently reviewing all submissions to ensure full compliance with legislative frameworks.

Dirco clears High Commissioner Sooklal of suspicion of facilitating Zuma-Gupta meetings

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced today that its official mission to India did not facilitate any substantive engagement between former President Jacob Zuma and fugitive businessman Ajay Gupta during Zuma's recent private trip.

Following the conclusion of internal consultations with South Africa’s High Commissioner to India Ambassador Anil Sooklal, Dirco confirmed that all assistance rendered to Zuma fell strictly within standard protocol, administrative and logistical support, which is routinely extended to former Heads of State.

The department's review follows a private visit by Zuma to India between June 25 and 27.

The Presidency initially informed Dirco of the trip on June 19, requesting customary protocol arrangements.

Dirco reiterated that routine courtesy assistance to former Heads of State does not constitute authorisation to represent the government of South Africa or advance its official interests.

And, Congo's Ebola outbreak kills more than 3 000

The number of deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 3 000, government data showed today, as the country's worst-ever epidemic continues to spread across its northeast.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, became the largest and deadliest in Congo's history after surpassing the 2018-2020 epidemic.

It is now second only to the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, which infected over 28 600 people and killed more than 11 000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Government figures showed the death toll had risen to 3 007, while confirmed cases reached 6 186.

The outbreak was formally declared in Ituri province on May 15, though some health officials and experts say it may have started as early as January.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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