Archive for September 4th, 2008
source: IM Mining
Posted on September 3rd, 2008
Australia’s mining fraternity has been encouraged to extend its involvement in one of Africa’s most successful mineral resources states under the safety net of a proven fiscal and monetary regime. Addressing the first day in Perth of the record breaking Paydirt 2008 Africa Downunder Resources Conference, Botswana’s Minister for Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, the Hon. Ponatshego Kedikilwe, said the country’s forward growth strategy now had an emphasis on international partnerships, with Australia a favoured participant.
“There has nothing gone seriously amiss with our regimes applying to mining in Botswana since we commenced a liberalisation of fiscal and monetary policy,” Kedikilwe said. “It is critical that Botswana sends a clear global message of investment security for our mining future. This includes prompt and adequate compensation if for some reason, a particular piece of mineral ground is needed for wider community use.
“We have created an investment climate which highly favours Australian mining investment in Botswana’s future. This now includes no exchange controls, no restrictions on the [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer
Gaborone City Council (GCC) will soon build a new Civic Centre at the Main Mall. Deputy city clerk, Lebuile Israel told Mmegi that the design plan of the project will cost around P3 million.
The new facility will be built near Gaborone Secondary School grounds, just across the road from the current Civic Centre. Israel said that the building will feature mostly administration offices. At the existing Civic Centre, the physical planning offices and other facilities at the back, especially the caravans, will be razed.
The new complex will house the council chambers and the offices of the mayor and city clerk. Construction is expected to start next year. Israel said it has become necessary to build a new civic centre to boost the [continue reading]
source: allAfrica
Business Day (Johannesburg)
4 September 2008
Posted to the web 4 September 2008
Dumisani Muleya
Johannesburg
PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki is expected in Harare today to make a renewed bid to break the deadlock in power-sharing talks between President Robert Mugabe and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mbeki is understood to have held brief talks with Mugabe and Tsvangirai yesterday in Lusaka at the funeral of Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa.
Sources said Mbeki was expected to propose that all Mugabe’s executive powers be discussed and ways be found of dividing them equally between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.
Mbeki is likely to propose that the two men co-chair the cabinet and that details of Tsvangirai’s position and powers be spelt out when he meets the two men and Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a breakaway MDC faction.
“Mbeki is expected to bring new proposals which he would [continue reading]
source: BBC News
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has said the opposition MDC has until Thursday to agree a power-sharing deal, or he will form his own government.
“We feel frozen at the moment [without a government],” he told state media.
The MDC has rejected the ultimatum and says it will not be “bullied” into signing a deal.
Both Mr Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai say they won elections earlier this year. The MDC says it was subjected to state-sponsored violence.
At talks mediated by South Africa, the two rivals agreed that Mr Tsvangirai would be named prime minister while [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
KABO MOKGOABONE and WANETSHA MOSINYI
Staff Writers
The newly appointed Group MD of RPC Data, Vincent Seretse, says the company needs to consolidate its position in Botswana, the rest of Africa and in Asia so that it may compete head to head with other global players.
The potential is there,Seretse says. As opportunities avail themselves, we need to be quick to get involved.
But we should make also make sure we don’t stay away from our core specialty, which is software development.
The former BTC CEO was speaking at the presentation of the company’s results.
Seretse, who takes over at a company that has a P10.9 million in its kitty and is free from any [continue reading]
source: IOL
Melanie Gosling
September 04 2008 at 10:52AM
Eskom’s proposed R14,5-billion pebble bed nuclear reactor, touted as “meltdown proof”, cannot get certification in the United States in its current form because it does not meet safety requirements there.
The PBMR demonstration reactor planned for Koeberg does not have a safety barrier – called a “secondary containment” – which is built into the design of all modern nuclear reactors to contain radiation in the event of an accident.
This raises questions regarding both public safety and the economic viability of the PBMR export project.
Eskom plans to build 24 to 30 pebble beds for export, but specialists say it is highly improbable that any country would buy nuclear technology which the US has not certified.
A German nuclear scientist, who has recently reinvestigated safety problems of the nuclear plant that was the prototype of the South African pebble bed, said he considered it “irresponsible” to construct a nuclear plant without a secondary containment.
In simple terms, without this structure, there would be nothing to prevent a massive release of [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
BRIAN BENZA
Staff Writer
Japan has joined the bandwagon of countries that are interested in tapping Botswana?s vast mineral and energy resources as the scramble for African natural resources between Asian and Western countries gathers steam.
This week, Botswana played host to a 50-member mission from Japan, which was in the country to explore trade and investment opportunities and met with President Ian Khama and other government and private sector officials.
The Japanese mission, which comprised politicians, government officials and private sector players, was in the country from August 31 to September 2 (yesterday).
In an interview in Gaborone on Monday, the head of the delegation, Japan’s Senior Vice Minister of the Economy, Trade and Industry Takamori Yoshikawa said they have been convinced about giving top priority for trade and investment partnerships to Botswana due to [continue reading]
source: The Botswana Gazette
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Christian De Graaf, says he is concerned about unused farmland that has been allocated to farmers around the country.
He has proposed that the farms be repossessed for productive use.
In an interview with The Gazette, De Graaf said his Ministry would ensure that land was given only to serious farmers. He said a business plan alone will not persuade the Ministry to award a farm to an interested party.
The Minister said some aspiring farmers have the tendency to secure consultants’ services to work out business plans for them, but fail to implement these ideas in the final analysis.
He said they would come up with a monitoring system to keep track of all people who have been given land. The farmers would be allowed a specified period to develop their land, failing which it would be repossessed for re-distribution. He said in an era where the country aspires to produce its own food, “it is important that we focus on serious farmers.”
De Graaf said the country has a lot of farmland that is underutilized. Some areas where [continue reading]
source: SW Radio Africa
By Alex Bell
03 September 2008
South African President Thabo Mbeki is reportedly set to return to Harare this week in yet another attempt to break the deadlock in Zimbabwe’s power sharing talks.
The talks have remained stalled over the issue of who of the country’s political rivals will hold the majority of power. ZANU PF has said it will not cede MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai more power than has been apportioned to him as the Prime Minister in a deal endorsed by the Southern African Development Community. The deal, that Tsvangirai refused to sign, would see Robert Mugabe hold onto the majority of power while Tsvangirai would become a purely ceremonial Prime Minister.
The negotiators from ZANU PF and the MDC factions led by Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara respectively, were in South Africa last week in an effort to break the political impasse but returned to Zimbabwe no closer to a deal agreed upon by all parties. South Africa’s Mbeki is now reportedly heading back to Harare either on Thursday or Friday to meet the party leaders in his role as SADC appointed facilitator, and it’s understood he will try to work out either a power-sharing deal, an exit plan for Mugabe, or whether to [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer
Government has shelved plans to buy official cars for deputy Permanent Secretaries (PS).The vehicles bought for the officials have now been diverted for general use by ministries.
If things went according to plan, the deputy Permanent Secretaries would have had full use of official cars for the first time.
Official sources say that last year, the government approved an estimated P13 million for the acquisition of 65 Subaru Legacy 2.0R cars for the deputy PS. The last batch of vehicles were recently acquired for P6,440,036.
However the Ministry of Works and Transport, which buys vehicles for government, through the [continue reading]
source: allAfrica
The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
3 September 2008
Posted to the web 3 September 2008
AT least eight Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government and several other foreign dignitaries yesterday arrived in Zambia and more were expected last night to attend the burial of late President Mwanawasa.
A sombre mood characterised the arrivals and all those who spoke at the Lusaka International Airport described the death of Dr Mwanawasa as a great loss to the region and the entire world.
By Press time, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Armando Guebuza of Mozambique, Joseph Kabila (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ian Khama (Botswana), Malawi’s Bingu Wa Mutharika and Lesotho Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili had all arrived.
Other African dignitaries who [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
ISAAC PHEKO
Correspondent
FRANCISTOWN: A motion calling for the privatisation of refuse collection in Francistown failed to pass muster last week when councillors voted 12-6 to throw it out. The motion was tabled by councillor Phillip Butale.
The councillor suggested that refuse collection should be outsourced since the council is not doing the job properly. Butale complained that the council workers disturb peace when they collect refuse in the early hours of the morning when people are sleeping.
Councillor Rebecca Nshakashokwe supported the motion saying that that it is in line with one of the pillars of Vision 2016 which encourages Batswana to have a clean and healthy environment. She said that the council’s department of environmental affairs lack resources and manpower and this delays refuse collection in the city. She said outsourcing [continue reading]
source: IOL
Melanie Gosling
September 03 2008 at 06:46PM
Cape Town’s rotting garbage may be turned into a source of cash – and energy – if the City of Cape Town’s plan to capture methane from landfill sites is successful.
It will also reduce the amount of methane, a greenhouse gas, which is allowed to escape into the atmosphere.
Methane is 21 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, both of which contribute to global climate change.
The city council has still to establish which of the recently-closed rubbish dumps will provide methane, how much they will provide and how much cash it will translate into.
They hope this, and the methane captured from operating landfills, will offset the R800-million the council will have to spend over the next few years to rehabilitate landfills that have reached capacity at [continue reading]
source: Mmegi
Botswana Stock Exchnage listed and Toronto-based Iamgold will offer to pay ?1,20 a share in cash for France-based Euro Ressources, which has a royalty on its Rosebel mine, the gold miner announced on Friday.
Based on current gold prices, the acquisition, if successful, is expected to lower cash costs at the mine by some $50/oz.
Euro has a participation right royalty on production from the Rosebel gold mine, in Suriname,ÿ that entitles it to payments of 10 percent of the gold price above $300/oz for production from soft rock and above $350/oz for production from hard rock.
The French firm said in a seperate statement that its board was reviewing the offer, and would not speculate on [continue reading]
source: News24
03/09/2008 14:55 – (SA)
Verashni Pillay
Johannesburg – Thousands of international travellers made use of a transformed arrivals terminal on Wednesday, as OR Tambo International Airport unveiled the first phase of its multibillion rand terminal building, Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said.
There were no hiccups during the first day of operations at the brand new arrivals hall, Acsa spokesperson Tasniem Patel said.
“Everything is proceeding smoothly and the operations are running normally,” she told News24, adding that the three-level building created a “magnificent” first impression of South Africa.
Construction work at Africa’s largest airport has been under way for the last three years, forcing passengers to negotiate the dusty and cramped temporary international arrival halls.
The R2.3bn Central Terminal Building (CTB) is Acsa’s largest project to date, and is [continue reading]
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- selected Press Preleases
- STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY Lt. GEN. SERETSE KHAMA IAN KHAMA
- H.E. the President, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of the Republic of Botswana on the Occasion of the Annual Diplomatic Reception
- H.E. the President, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama at the Botswana Democratic Party Leadership Forum/Pitso, Gaborone
- H.H, Lt. Gen. Mompati S. Merafhe, Mp, Vice President of the Republic of Botswana at a Fundraising Dinner for Mochudi Resource Centre for the Blind
- The Minister of Defence Justice and Security Hon.D.N.Seretse at the Farewell Party of three Senior Staff
- The Director General Directorate of Intelligence and Security during the Security Association of Botswana Annual General Meeting, Oasis Motel
- Response to the Report in Mmegi of Friday 06 August on rumoured Replacement of the Attorney General
- Botswana retains eighth place position in Mining Survey
- President's Housing Appeal for the Needy
- Yusuf Dada, Group MD of Motor Centre Botswana on the Occasion of the Commissioning and Hand Over of the Boswelakoko Clinic by the A.S.Dada Foundation
Palapye meets Google Maps
- BBC Africa News
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- China 'offers peacekeepers' for Mali
- Thousands at author Achebe's funeral
- Darfur conflict 'displaces 300,000'
- Mozambique mines 'hurt locals'
- Bombers hit Niger barracks and mine
- Congo truce declared 'for Ban visit'
- SA police anti-crime site hacked
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