Top news items in major S. African media outlets

CAPE TOWN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The following are news items in South African major news outlets on Sunday.

-- Tertiary institutions are bracing themselves for chaos during registration, ahead of the re-opening of universities and public colleges for the 2018 academic year.

In addition to the confusion swirling around President Jacob Zuma's surprise commitment to providing free higher education for poor and working-class students, there are now fears of upheavals after the Economic Freedom Fighters announced that it would lead a mass walk-in registration drive at campuses. (City Press)

-- The South African Communist Party (SACP) said on Saturday that if the African National Congress's new National Executive Committee ignores calls to reconfigure the tripartite alliance and deal with state capture, it risks losing the 2019 elections.

The SACP made the statement when the party commemorated 23 years since the passing of its former leader Joe Slovo in Johannesburg. (South African Broadcasting Corporation)

-- The clock is ticking on President Jacob Zuma's presidency as the newly-elected Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC) David Mabuza held talks with Zuma on Saturday.

Mabuza is believed to support the removal of President Zuma, with some senior leaders saying the meeting could be part of the process of persuading him to resign. (Sunday Times) Enditem