Public works have been widely discussed in the media as a significant response to poverty and unemployment in South Africa. But, as currently conceptualised, are they really? An informed debate on social protection and unemployment can only happen if we look behind the rhetoric. The new public works programme will make barely a dent in unemployment in South Africa.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal is considering introducing tourism police to make sure that each visitor to KwaZulu-Natal has a safe and crime-free visit, newly appointed KwaZulu-Natal provincial minister for arts, culture and tourism Narend Singh told delegates at the 2004 Tourism Indaba in Durban.
Newly appointed South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk opened the 2004 Tourism Indaba in Durban on Saturday in his first official act since being appointed minister. Indaba visitor applications have increased to more than 3Â 500 visitors from 93 countries.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66098">KwaZulu-Natal mulling tourism police</a>
Representatives of the United Democratic Movement will now personally have to pay R250 000 if they cross the floor to other parties, party president Bantu Holomisa announced on Sunday. This was an attempt to discourage what he called ”political promiscuity”.
Trying to sell nature-based tourism in game reserves to people who would rather go to the beach on holiday, if they go at all, sounds like a case of real hard sell. Research shows that 51% of black South Africans prefer to go to the beach for their festive and other holidays. Blacks make up less than 12% of the local visitors who go to national parks. The M&G meets the new director of the Kruger park, a man determined to change local perceptions about ecotourism.
A leading climatologist has warned that the government should take a long-term view of changing climate conditions, or face potential consequences that could ”seriously compound” the existing challenges facing South Africa. Government is aware of it, but needs to recognise this as a long term issue of seriousness,” said Professor Bruce Hewitson.
The new international La Mercy airport project needs to be driven as expeditiously as possible and the new African National Congress provincial government would like to see the first bricks laid by April 2005 and the project completed by 2009, says new KwaZulu-Natal finance minister Mike Mabuyakhulu.
After weeks of negotiations with the African National Congress, the Inkatha Freedom Party has accepted three ministerial positions in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. The IFP originally withdrew two of its officials from the provincial executive, announced at the end of April.
Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, speaking at the funeral of his son, Prince Nelisuzulu Benedict Buthelezi, said that the cause of his son’s death was HIV/Aids, a Sunday newspaper reported. Speaking to thousands of people at the funeral in Mahlabathini in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, Buthelezi tried to reduce the stigma surrounding the terminal disease.
In more mature democracies people act to ensure that politicians are, indeed, the servants of the people, but in our kortbroek democracy we still take our politicians very seriously. Mike van Graan suggests an alternative.
Presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo confirmed on Thursday that President Thabo Mbeki has decided to replace the Inkatha Freedom Party members appointed as deputy ministers with new appointees. IFP leaders Reverend Musa Zondi and Vincent Ngema sent letters to President Mbeki on Thursday, saying they could not attend the swearing in of deputy ministers.
Prince Nelisuzulu Benedict Buthelezi, son of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Princess Irene Buthelezi, has died. In a statement issued on Thursday his family said Buthelezi (53) passed away on Wednesday. Prince Nelisuzulu Buthelezi was born on March 21, 1951, and died at King George V Hospital in Durban. The cause of death was not disclosed.
An urgent meeting of the Inkatha Freedom Party’s (IFP) national council was being held in Durban late on Wednesday evening to discuss the party’s future in national government — after Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi was left out of the new cabinet line-up.
A tough municipal by-election in a Chatsworth, Durban, ward will see the African National Congress-aligned Minority Front — led by new KwaZulu-Natal sports MEC Amichand Rajbansi — fight it out to retain a marginal seat from a determined challenge from the official opposition Democratic Alliance.
The Inkatha Freedom Party has withdrawn its legal challenge to contest the declaration of the April 14 election as free and fair. IFP president Mangosuthu Buthelezi said on Monday night: ”It was never our intention to spoil the celebrations of our first decade of democracy.”
While Inkatha Freedom Party supporters protested against the declaration of the elections as free and fair, the party leadership continued talks with the African National Congress on setting up a broad-based provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday.
IFP ‘regrets’ king’s statement
The official opposition Democratic Alliance has selected its team representing the nine provinces in the National Council of Provinces but former Western Cape premier and former Cape Town mayor Gerald Morkel failed to be selected for one of two Western Cape seats available.
The Inkatha Freedom Party expressed its ”extreme disquiet” on Sunday at a statement by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini about the results of the recently held general election. ”The IFP considers it to be a premature statement by his majesty, the king, on an e.tv programme, that the elections were free and fair.”
IFP endorses KZN cabinet withdrawal
South Africa’s million-plus people of Indian origin complain that a controversial scheme to uplift people marginalised under apartheid is working against them. The bone of contention for this relatively small but economically and politically important group is the black economic empowerment programme.
The Inkatha Freedom Party’s specially convened national council meeting late on Saturday evening endorsed the withdrawal of two of its officials appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal provincial cabinet by Premier S’bu Ndebele. Earlier on Saturday the IFP said the two ministers were appointed without the party’s approval.
The Inkatha Freedom Party on Friday night temporarily withdrew two high-ranking officials from the provincial cabinet announced by new Premier S’bu Ndebele, saying they were appointed without the party’s agreement. A surprised S’bu Ndebele says he first heard the announcement via the radio.
African National Congress leader Thabo Mbeki has been re-elected as President of the Republic of South Africa for his second term by the National Assembly. He was elected unopposed on Friday after nominations were called for by Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=58684">Where will Ginwala go?</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=58668">Mbete, Mahlangu elected to top posts</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=58678">New Speaker wants more natural debate</a>
Talks between the African National Congress and Inkatha Freedom Party on an ”ANC-led broad-based government” continued on Friday ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of MPLs in Pietermaritzburg. IFP national spokesperson Musa Zondi said ahead of the ceremony that both parties were in caucus and no decision had been made.
The African Christian Democratic Party will throw its weight behind the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal but only under certain conditions, the party announced on Thursday. Before the election, the ACDP supported the IFP in principle in the legislature, as it had the majority support of the province’s voters.
Frene Ginwala, who has been Speaker of the National Assembly for the past 10 years since democracy, got the axe on Thursday from ruling African National Congress MPs. The speaker will be replaced by the Deputy Speaker, Baleka Mbete, who has served in that position since the first Parliament.
There was excitement and relief in the halls of Parliament on Thursday as MPs arrived to register for the third term of the African National Congress government. Pamela Mnandi, an ANC MP from KwaZulu-Natal, said the third term of government would represent her ”liberation” from the Inkatha Freedom Party’s rule in her home province.
The Inkatha Freedom Party and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) have lodged founding papers with the Electoral Court on Wednesday contesting the declaration of last week’s elections as free and fair. The court says the papers will now be sent to court’s judges, who will decide on dates for the hearings, merit allowing.
IFP to stick with DA
The Inkatha Freedom Party says it has no intention of ending its Coalition for Change agreement with the Democratic Alliance, even if it is invited to govern KwaZulu-Natal with the ANC. IFP national spokesperson Musa Zondi said on Wednesday that he did not understand what all the ”fuss” was about.
NNP, ANC talk about govt posts
The United Democratic Movement is to negotiate with the African National Congress regarding a provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said on Tuesday. Holomisa said he was approached by President Thabo Mbeki on Sunday ”with a view to resolve the stalemate in KwaZulu-Natal”.
The jostling over the spoils of Cabinet posts in the Western Cape and possible representation for the New National Party in the national Cabinet will begin this week. The NNP on Monday went out of its way to underscore the point that there was no suggestion of any calls for its leader to resign.
Selling Africa to non-Africans is becoming an institution. At exhibitions, shopping malls and estate agencies across Europe, people are buying up the South African coast. The government, land activists and residents look askance at the European invasion of the coastal property market.
Champagne corks popped, fireworks exploded and balloons dropped from the ceiling as this week’s general election was declared free and fair in Pretoria on Saturday and the ANC celebrated a hands-down victory. The party has for first time taken the majority of seats in all nine provincial legislatures.