The African National Congress in the Western Cape on Wednesday condemned overtures allegedly made to disgraced former party members, Truman Prince and Jeffrey Donson, by the Democratic Alliance. ”The ANC removed both Donson and Prince because they were an embarrassment to the ANC and the councils they lead,” Max Ozinsky, the ANC’s provincial deputy secretary said.
The death toll from devastating floods in south-west Ethiopia soared to 364 on Wednesday, police said, bringing to almost 900 the number killed or missing in raging waters nationwide this month. Authorities said they feared for the worst and were preparing for the possibility that several hundred more may have drowned from weekend flooding.
More than 15-million children in sub-Saharan Africa will have lost one or both parents to Aids by 2010.
South Africa have pulled out of the limited-overs tri-series against India and hosts Sri Lanka due to security concerns after a deadly bombing, a Sri Lankan cricket official said on Wednesday. ”South Africa have told us they want to pull out. It is unfortunate but true,” Sri Lanka Cricket media manager Samantha Algama said.
The Great Limpopo Transfrontier National Park, which links three countries, is a unique opportunity for Southern African eco-tourism and cooperation, said President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday at the opening of the park’s border post. ”We, the people, now have another possibility to reach out and join hands in partnership,” said Mbeki in a speech released by his office.
The death toll from the strongest typhoon to hit China in half a century has reached 319 and could rise further, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday. Much of southern China has been battered by a series of typhoons and tropical storms this year that have now killed about 1 300 people.
Former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide is welcome to continue his exile in South Africa as long as necessary, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Dlamini-Zuma on Wednesday said that the open invitation was part of the international process to create ”peace and stability in Haiti”. Aristide fled Haiti in February 2004 amid violent unrest.
The Boland Rugby Union has served charge sheets on the two clubs involved in the match in which Riaan Loots was fatally injured earlier this year. Attorney for the union Chris Faure said on Wednesday that charge sheets had also been served on five players, one spectator and seven officials.
A shortage of about four million doctors and nurses in 60 poor, primarily African countries has become a major obstacle in fighting HIV/Aids, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. In the announcement made on Tuesday at the International Aids Conference in Toronto, WHO said sub-Saharan Africa has been the worst affected by the shortage.
Further work is required on the accrual accounting format that is being adopted by the South African government, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel said on Wednesday. He was replying to a question from official opposition Democratic Alliance finance spokesperson Ian Davidson.