ALGERIA WANTS ROOIVALK
PARASTATAL arms manufacturer Denel has been invited to Algeria to demonstrate the Rooivlak attack helicopter, Denel said on Friday. The invitation came from the Algerian Ministry of Defence, which has also shown an interest in acquiring the Seeker surveillance system.
CASH FOR EL NINO
WATER Affairs Minister Kader Asmal announced on Friday the government has set aside R350-million to ensure continued water supplies to rural areas due to the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon. He said the move is not a disaster relief programme, but a precautionary measure.
ZIM INVITES DEMINING TENDERS
ZIMBABWE has called for tenders to clear up landmines in the north-eastern areas of the country. The demining contract will be sponsored by the European Union, and will be to the value of Z$120-million. Once cleared, the land will be used for agriculture.
VAAL CHOLERA SCARE
A MASSIVE education campaign has been launched to pre-empt a possible outbreak of cholera in Henley-on-Klip in the Vaal Triangle, after cholera-causing bacteria was discovered in the Klip River early this week. Leaflets on prevention were distributed to schools, clinics, shops and houses throughout the area on Friday by the Rand Water Board. The Board called on the community to avoid contact with river water, and to watch for early symptoms of the potentially fatal disease. Anyone experiencing vomiting, severe diarrhoea and rapid dehydration has been advised to contact a doctor immediately.
LISSOUBA IN DOLISIE CONGO’s toppled president Pascal Lissouba took refuge in the town of Dolisie on Friday, surrounded by supporters who are defending his stronghold. Opposition forces supporting usurper Denis Sassou Nguesso are advancing on the town, after taking the capital Brazzaville and the oil port of Pointe Noire two days ago. Meanwhile, armed looters rampaged through Brazzaville on Thursday night, setting up markets to sell stolen furniture and goods. Nguesso’s militia opened fire on crowds of looters on Thursday in Pointe Noire.
TWINS UNDER SUPERVISION SIAMESE twins Monde and Nomonde Mokoena — separated at the Chris Hani Baragwanth Hospital on Monday — are still under careful supervision, a hospital representative said on Friday. Nomonde was reported to be “very ill” on Thursday, but Monde is doing well. Both girls are being fed intravenously and are breathing through ventilators.
COUNCILS SHAKE-UP PLAN
PROVINCIAL Affairs Minister Valli Moosa has released a Green Paper which argues that the 843 local governments in SA are unable to afford their council structures, which should be amalgamated. The paper recommends stronger metropolitan councils, a land tax to finance rural councils, and a single, countrywide levy on property rates.
AMPLATS BAFOKENG DEAL ANGLO American Platinum on Thursday resolved its longstanding dispute with the Bafokeng tribe in North-West province. The conflict over mineral rights on Bafokeng land was settled with an agreement that Amplats will rent land from the tribe for a R1,2-billion new mine.
NIGERIANS BOMB FREETOWN MORE than 20 civilians were wounded and 13 killed during air raids in Sierra Leone by Nigerian forces of the Economic Community of West African States.
WEEDS COULD TOPPLE BRIDGE
A NEWLY built Zambian rail and road bridge, linking the country to neighbours in the south, is under threat from the destructive water hyacinth. The bridge structure, erected by a Japanese firm with foreign aid money, is under growing pressure from weeds spreading down the Kafue River.
THE DEEP SLEEP SLEEPING sickness has claimed several lives recently in the northern regions of Angola. State radio reported on Friday that 21 people died of the disease in Uije, and numerous others have been infected in Kwanza-Norte and Bengo. Angolan health authorities are ill-equiped to cope with the spread of the disease, due to a shortage of specialists and technical assistance. Sleeping sickness, also known as trypanosomiasis, is a fatal wasting disease transmitted by the tsetse fly.
OZONE HOLE CREEPS NORTH SCIENTISTS warned on Friday the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica is as big as ever and looks like it may be moving towards New Zealand. New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said there is “a severe hole” this year over the South Pole, but added it does not pose a threat to public health because of the low sun angles in the area during winter and spring.