The new government in Iraq has convinced nine major political parties to disband their militias in a move to assert state control three weeks before the return of sovereignty, the prime minister said on Monday. The nine do not include the militia of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa bound his government on Monday to fulfilling all pre-election promises of democracy and prosperity. ”The Gauteng provincial government is ready to put shoulder to the wheel to realise our objective of a better life for all,” he said at the opening of the provincial legislature in Johannesburg.
New National Party Gauteng leader Johan Kilian has resigned from the party but says it has nothing to do with weekend talks the party held with the African National Congress. Kilian, who has been with the party for 24 years, said he is leaving politics to return to the business world.
Ethiopia is to issue its first-ever private radio broadcasting licences in the next two months, Bereket Simon, the information minister, said on Monday. The licences, he added, will be issued ahead of the 2005 elections that analysts say will be a litmus test of the government’s commitment to democracy.
Members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) are expected to hold general meetings at all car manufacturers this week to mobilise workers for what the union describes as inevitable strike action. This comes after wage negotiations between Numsa and the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation hit a snag.
Listed South African retailer Edgars Consolidated Stores (Edcon) is optimistic that it will attract good investor interest, as well as a lower price, for its second securitised debt issue from its OntheCards securitisation programme, based on its customers’ store card debt, according to CEO for group services, Mark Bower.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner is in a ”critical but stable” condition on Monday following Sunday’s gun attack in Saudi Arabia that left a colleague, Simon Cumbers, dead. Richard Sambrook, the BBC director of news, said that Gardner received ”extensive surgery” for abdominal gunshot wounds following the attack in a suburb of the Saudi capital Riyadh that is a known al-Qaeda stronghold.
The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was forging ahead at midday on Monday, fuelled by stronger world markets. A slight weakening in the rand lent the bourse further support. By 12.09pm, the all-share and all-share industrial indices jumped 1,6% and 1,33% respectively.
About 5 000 people have been left homeless after more than 200 shacks burned down at the Slovo informal settlement in KwaMbonambi on KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast, police said on Monday. Umfolozi police spokesperson Superintendent Jay Naicker said it was believed that a candle left unattended in one of the shacks caused the fire, which quickly spread through the settlement on Sunday night.