It would be a mistake to view the recent launch of MTN Banking as simply another banking channel. It is the first step towards true cellphone banking where bricks, mortar and tellers could be relegated to the history books. It is not about a bank offering cellphone banking, but rather a cellphone company offering banking.
A bellwether report has found that the number of malnourished people in Africa has increased from 88-million in 1970 to 200-million today, 35% of the continent’s population, as a result of ill-conceived agricultural policies and trade barriers imposed by wealthy countries.
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Monday marked the first day of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, with teams of soldiers and police officers slated to fan out throughout the Gaza Strip’s 21 settlements to hand settlers notices telling them to quit their homes. Those who have not left after 48 hours face being removed by force.
A dramatic last-hole birdie saw Phil Mickelson capture his second major title when he won the storm-delayed 87th PGA Championship on Monday. The 35-year-old American carded a closing two-over 72 to finish on four-under 276 for the year’s final major tournament.
South Africa’s Annelize du Pisani has won a bronze medal in the singles event at the tenpin bowling Women’s World Championships held in Aalborg, Denmark. Players from 40 countries took part in the championships, which ended with a medal ceremony and banquet on Saturday.
As the Monday deadline for drafting Iraq’s Constitution inched closer, leaders of the war-torn country battled to complete the draft, delaying the special Parliament session called to consider the charter. A source in the communication department of the 275-member National Assembly said the delay was for two hours.
The formation of a government of national unity in Zimbabwe is not necessarily the solution to that country’s political problems, a South African government official said on Monday. Neither the ruling Zanu-PF nor the opposition regards a unity government as an imperative, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said.
A 17-year-old boy appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday accused of stabbing a 22-year-old man to death at the Menlyn Park shopping centre, east of the city, on Friday night. Police spokesperson Inspector Lucas Sithole said the 17-year-old was charged with the murder of 22-year-old Juan Lee Olivier.