THURSDAY, 11.00AM ALTHOUGH a country’s airspace is sovereign, organisations are looking into ways to improve air safety over Africa, according to Transport Minister Mac Maharaj. Under consideration is a meeting convened by SAA of all airlines flying north-south routes over Africa, in which each airline would “adopt” a country whose procedures were suspect, “taking responsiblity for installing effective navigational equipment and providing the necessary training to personnel from those countries”.
In the wake of 77 near-misses over the continent last year, DP MP Colin Eglin moved that government urgently hold air afety talks with Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Congo, Zaire, Angola and Mozambique.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
SA FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
The Reserve Bank has just published extensive data about the South African economy on its web site, as part of its arrangement with the International Monetary Fund’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) on the publication of national statistics on a regular basis. SA finances and economy
ANGLO BUYS MINE
ANGLO AMERICAN Coal Corporation yesterday announced it would be buying a $145-million stake in a Colombian coal mine.
Amcoal and Minorco, Anglo’s offshore arm, will eaach buy 25% of the company from Glencore International AG. Amcoal’s investment includes expanding the mine and establishing rail and port facilities, and it is planning to tender for other coal mines in the South American country.
AFRICA OLYMPIC LOBBY
SPORTS Minister Steve Tshwete will head a high-powered Olympic bid committee intended to lobby African, Asian and Latin American countries to support Cape Town’s bid for the 2004 Games.
Tshwete says the committee will work closely with the existing bid company, emphasising the “Africanness of the bid”. It will be funded by overseas donors.
TEAK FOREST ROW
A South-African owned game lodge opened in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, amid controversy over its destruction of a 40km swathe of virgin teak woodland to connect to Zimbabwe’s electricity grid.
The Conservation Corporation’s Matetsi lodge, west of Victoria Falls, is 50% owned by Zimbabwean Lovemore Chihota and the Zimbabwe government-owned Rainbow tourism group.
MINE SAFETY CONTRAVENTIONS
EXAMINATIONS of major mine disasters show clearly that statutory safety requirements have been contravened, business economics and insurance Professor Robert Vivian told the National Occupational Safety Association on Wednesday. Audits he had conducted showed only about 15% of safety requirements are typically complied with. A survey he carried out on safety instructions in one organisation turned up six sets of written safety instructions prepared for illiterate workers.