"The decision in this year’s budget to continue to run a budget surplus over the next three years appears to fly in the face of the government’s constitutional obligation to use ‘its available resources’ to realise these rights progressively," writes Kenneth Creamer.
South Africa will be counting its frogs. Next month, frog guru Ann Mearns will launch a one-year frog census to gather data from around South Africa on how many frogs are left. The ”national frog count” will help determine just how big a threat South Africa’s frog population faces.
Political violence has reared its head in northern Namibia’s political heartland of Owambo, where a new Namibian political party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress, is contesting a local election against the ruling party, Swapo. The election outcome is widely seen as an indication of the future of Namibian politics.
The eviction of about 2 000 homeless backyarders in Delft has divided the community and raised allegations of dirty tactics against police. With 14 months before voting, the issue sparked the first pre-election salvoes between the city — led by the Democratic Alliance — and the African National Congress’s Western Cape premier.
The government’s failure to extend the child-support grant to all vulnerable children under the age of 18 will leave about two million children without social support for the foreseeable future. Last month’s budget, which capped the age for children on the grant at 15 from January next year, was severely criticised by civil society.
For many refugees streaming into South Africa, especially from Zimbabwe, it is a matter of trading a life of poverty and famine for one of violent crime, unemployment and bureaucratic obstacles. Most of the refugees arriving here try to escape the economic meltdown in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Education Minister Naledi Pandor is setting up a new unit in her department to run its R6,1-billion Kha ri gude — Masifunde (Let Us Learn) literacy project. Unisa’s director of the Adult Basic Education and Training Institute, Veronica McKay, is on a shortlist to head it, the Mail & Guardian has learned.
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Johannesburg road speed cameras will be up and running this week, the Johannesburg metro police department said on Monday. ”There was a growing concern for human life as motorists began using roads as racing tracks when the cameras were not working,” said Senior Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.
A strong earthquake measuring 6,9 struck in the ocean off the east coast of the Philippines on Monday night, but so far there have been no reports of damage, officials said. The quake, which struck at 10.11pm local time was centred about 175km east-south-east of Pandan, Catanduanes, in the central Philippines at a depth of 24,2km.