Jubie Matlou

The Zimbabwean Movement for Change has asked George Bizos, SC, one of South Africa’s top advocates, to defend the party’s leader in a treason trial due to resume in February. Morgan Tsvangirai is charged with conspiracy to overthrow the Zimbabwean government.

Plans for eradicating diarrhoeal diseases in the Limpopo basin through health-related catchment development programmes, rather than redressing the socio-economic effects of hydroelectric dams, will be tabled before heads of state at the World Summit.

Rural housing got another boost this week with R125-million from a German development bank, KfW. Its first donation of R50-million, in 1996, led to the establishment of the Rural Housing Loan Fund (RHLF), which helped improve the living standards of 34 000 rural households.

The third African, Caribbean and Pacific summit being held in Fiji this week has a dilemma on its hands. On the one hand is the positive aspect of trade liberalisation, on the other is the negative impact that customs tariffs currently imposed on EU member states be done away with.

"Rural energising, as opposed to rural electrification, should be the route towards a new sustainable energy path for Africa’s development," says Dr Abeeku Brew-Hammond during the launch of a book on the continent’s search for sustainable energy solutions on Wednesday night.