Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is prepared to lay down his life to prevent the country from degenerating into what he describes as a predator state where a few of the powerful loot the coffers with impunity. Without referring to the ANC Youth League president Julius Malema by name, Vavi said […]
Vavi slams JZ over Mantashe attack
Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) boss Zwelinzima Vavi has hit out at ANC president Jacob Zuma and the party’s national executive committee (NEC) for keeping quiet while ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has been attacked by the likes of the ANC Youth League. “Not only President Zuma but the whole NEC has failed to defend […]
S.Africa: Cosatu calls for strike
Cosatu is planning a national strike in protest against electricity tariff increases and the government’s intention to allow independent power producers in on the action. The trade union federation, an ally of the ANC, also expressed outrage at the news that the ruling party holds a 25% stake Hitachi Africa, the company that won a […]
S.Africa: North West learner drivers must explain licences
Some 70 North West learner drivers must provide proof before the end of the week that their learner licences are not fraudulent, Public Safety MEC Howard Yawa said on Thursday. This follows a licence scam involving a cashier at the Rustenburg Local Municipality, which was discovered by management. “Failure by the applicants to respond to […]
S.Africa: Tshwane is the worst metro in Gauteng
Tshwane is the worst metro in Gauteng, Auditor-General Terence Nombembe said in a scathing report on the province’s municipalities on Thursday. Nombembe says the province’s municipalities still spend irregularly, and 78 percent of them ignore policies and regulatory requirements in procurements and financial transactions. Only nine of the municipalities received unqualified audit reports. Mayor Gwen […]
S.Africa: service delivery failure real
The government has admitted it failed certain communities in service delivery, the SABC reported on Thursday. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka said in Pretoria: “We find that government has been lethargic at most and (at) worst doing nothing.” A multi-pronged intervention programme would be initiated to stop service delivery protests. Shiceka said […]
Togolese vote as Gnassingbe seeks second term
Voting in Togo’s presidential election began calmly on Thursday against a backdrop of violence in previous polls and opposition allegations incumbent President Faure Gnassingbe may rig the outcome. Hundreds died in post-election violence in the small West African nation after the 2005 presidential election and voting this time comes as the region is shaken by […]
South Africa a possible drugs gateway – UN
South Africa is in danger of becoming a major hub for drug trafficking, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said on Thursday. West African syndicates had recently become major drug traffickers after Central American cartels began using them due to difficulty with their traditional routes, the office’s Jonathan Lucas said at the release of […]
Namibia election challenge dismissed
The high court in Windhoek has thrown out an application by nine opposition parties to have the results of the 2009 presidential and National Assembly elections annulled. In the nationwide elections, which took place on November 27 and 28, Hifikepunye Pohamba won his second presidential term and ruling party Swapo maintained control of the National […]
Cocky Mugabe not deterred by sanctions
Zimbabwean president says he’ll be running things for years to come. Zimbabwe’s ageing President Robert Mugabe, who turned 86 last month, yesterday told journalists that he was not planning to retire any time soon. Mugabe held a four-hour news briefing with about 20 of the country’s top journalists at Zimbabwe House in the capital, Harare. […]