President Thabo Mbeki has staked his leadership on a Programme of Action — a 53-page scorecard of social pledges to be fulfilled by 2009. Every two months the presidential policy unit, headed by Joel Netshitenzhe, updates the programme on the government website as a goad for ministers and checklist for the public.
United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa suspended six members of Parliament and provincial legislatures because they questioned him about a local government election pact he had apparently entered into with the African National Congress, according to his deputy.
The United States and 11 African nations on Monday formally opened a regional emergency response center in Nairobi, Kenya, to improve East and Central Africa’s capacity to deal with natural disasters and terrorist attacks. It is part of a US-funded series of symposia aimed at helping African countries better respond to crises.
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has lauded the production of the first anti-retroviral drugs used to battle Aids to be produced by an indigenous firm in the country, his office said on Monday. Obasanjo said during the presentation of the Aids drug by a local drug firm that he is encouraged by the achievement of the company.
As neighbouring Niger’s food crisis lessens with international aid and a bountiful harvest is predicted next month, western Mali is praying for rain. Whereas in Niger farmers and officials say the rain has returned this year and crops promise to be abundant come September, in Mali it is a different story.
Private hospitals in South Africa perform much of their surgery better, faster and cheaper than those in Australia and the United States do, a study published on Monday found. The Hospital Association of South Africa did a comparative analysis of average private hospital costs in South Africa, the US and Australia.
Videos are replacing vicars in small town Australia because of an acute shortage of ordained ministers, news reports said on Monday. The Uniting Church already sends DVDs of Sunday sermons to 20 towns considered too small or too remote to have their own ministers.
Poverty and cultural traditions in Niger lead thousands of young women to give birth without medical supervision which exposes them to often irreparable scars. ”Giving birth is women’s work, and these girls are children,” said Lucien Djangnikpo, a physician and director of a maternity centre in Zinder, a city in southeast Niger.
The JSE reached yet another record high on Monday, this time driven by a weaker rand. Trade was brisk, with almost R1,4-billion worth of shares changing hands. At 11.59am, the all share index was up 0,33% at 15 827,71 having reached
a lifetime high of 15 836,16 during the session.
South Africa is looking forward to a windfall from hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup, and hopes other top sports events such as the Rugby World Cup and formula-one auto racing will follow. But who will really benefit from the promised bonanza in a country still bearing the social and economic scars of apartheid?