As all hopes of economic and political salvation fade, President Robert Mugabe’s Cabinet members are turning to God. Six years into the country’s worst economic recession, six key members of the ruling Zanu-PF party are now messengers of God. But what is not clear is whether this latest development is coming from the heart or is driven by politics.
A farm meant to be a showpiece for the Zimbabwean government’s land reform programme is lying derelict because three senior Zanu-PF ministers have looted essential equipment. Members of the military disclosed this to Vice-President Joice Mujuru during her tour of Manicaland recently. Army units are routinely deployed by the government to run appropriated enterprises and intimidate the populace.
Italy’s political leaders must move quickly to resolve the country’s post-election gridlock if poll winner Romano Prodi is to kick-start the stagnant economy, analysts warned on Thursday. ”It’s not a good start for the new government,” said Bank of America economist Matthew Sharratt. Italy faced a likely two months of ”administrative paralysis” before a new government could be sworn.
Building a paper airplane and thrusting it into the air is probably something everyone has done before. But for three South African aspiring pilots, their featherweight gliders have landed them a position to compete in the first international Red Bull Paper Wings competition in Salzburg, Austria in May this year. South Africa will join 48 countries in the first-ever paper-plane competition.
The probe into the ”bolt in the generator” incident at the Koeberg nuclear power station is continuing, and the process of bringing the damaged unit back on line is on track, Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin said on Thursday. The investigation by the ”appropriate agency” was continuing and it would announce any arrests.
Li Shuanlin remembers the sweltering hot August day nine years ago when his mine shaft collapsed and, with it, life as he knew it. A coal miner since the age of 24, he was fully aware of the dangers of his profession, but always thought it would happen to someone else.
Chad on Thursday claimed it had repulsed rebels from the capital seeking to oust President Idriss Deby Itno and blamed neighbouring Sudan for fomenting a coup attempt. "The rebel columns have been completely destroyed … The situation is completely under control," Itno told Radio France Internationale on Thursday morning.
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has endorsed a statement condemning the rising incidence of media repression in five African countries earlier this week. The fourth African Media Leadership Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya from April 4-7, was attended by leading media executives and editors from 12 African countries.
The South African police’s Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) has opened an attempted murder investigation after protesters were shot at during a pro-democracy picket at Swazi border posts. Seven people were injured and 25 arrested in the protests commemorating Swazi King Sobhuza II’s institution 33 years ago of an ongoing state of emergency.
South African Breweries Limited (SAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller, on Thursday announced that it has finalised, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions, the sale of 40% of its crown (bottle top) manufacturer, Coleus Packaging, to the Nokusa Consortium, led by Nokusa Investments in a black economic empowerment (BEE) transaction.