UN and Botswana sign agreement

31 October, 2008 in Botswana

source: BOPA 30 October, 2008 GABORONE – Botswana and the United Nations have signed an agreement for an improved mechanism for the effective and efficient collaboration. Speaking at the signing of the “One UN Programme” concept in Gaborone on Tuesday, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Baledzi Gaolathe, said the agreement was signed [...]

Southern Africa: SADC Discusses Faster Implementation of Programmes

31 October, 2008 in SADC

source: allAfrica BuaNews (Tshwane) 31 October 2008 Bathandwa Mbola Pretoria Permanent Secretaries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met at the Union Buildings on Thursday to discuss the issues affecting the region and faster implementation of programmes. President Kgalema Motlanthe in his capacity as head of SADC reminded the Forum of the essence of [...]

South Africa: Letter From Former President Thabo Mbeki to President of the Ruling ANC, Jacob Zuma

31 October, 2008 in Africa

source: allAfrica allAfrica.com DOCUMENT 31 October 2008 South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki, has told Jacob Zuma, his successor as leader of the African National Congress, that he is not engaged in efforts by dissatisfied ANC members, including members of his former cabinet, to form a breakaway party. Mbeki said after his resignation at the [...]

South Africa: Mbeki to start own group

31 October, 2008 in South Africa

source: News24 31/10/2008 08:08 – (SA) Jan-Jan Joubert and Carien du Plessis, Beeld Cape Town – Former president Thabo Mbeki has declined overtures from the ANC and the breakaway group. Instead, he will be forming his own civil pressure group to promote democracy. As the country buzzes about the contents of a letter he sent [...]

Kgafela calls for media caution

31 October, 2008 in Botswana

source: BOPA 30 October, 2008 GABORONE – Media practitioners have been urged to report murder cases beyond face value to afford the public a balanced version of the situation at hand. A human rights lawyer, who is also Bakgatla Kgosi-kgolo Kgafela II advised journalists against sensationalising the death and subsequent penalty. Instead he said in [...]

Botswana, Zambia buy pantoon to ease movement across Zambezi

31 October, 2008 in Botswana, Zambia

source: BOPA 30 October, 2008 KASANE – The Ministry of Works and Transport is in the process of buying a pantoon to transport vehicles across the Chobe River at the Kazungula border. Mr Samuel Mbaiwa, the ministry’s spokesperson, said on Tuesday that government wanted to improve service delivery at the border with neighbouring Zambia. Currently, [...]

BoB slammed for its silence on global recession

30 October, 2008 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi BRIAN BENZA Staff Writer The Bank of Botswana (BoB) has been heavily criticised for its silence over the state of the country’s foreign exchange reserves in view of the unfolding global financial crisis that has seen markets crumble over the past 10 months. Outspoken University of Botswana lecturer, Dr Oupa Tsheko, has described [...]

Top Civil Servants Retire

30 October, 2008 in Africa

source: The Botswana Gazette Will They Join Politics? Two prominent civil servants are to leave their offices soon. Mr. Otefetse Kenneth Matambo and Mr. Serwalo Tumelo will retire to face new challenges in life. Matambo, the Managing Director of the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), retires at the end of this month while Tumelo’s contract with [...]

South Africa: Another top ANC member jumps ship

30 October, 2008 in South Africa

source: IOL October 30 2008 at 03:58PM Former Communist, trade unionist and civic leader Moses Mayekiso on Thursday also threw his weight behind the so-called dissident movement of Terror Lekota and Mbhamzima Shilowa. Mayekiso, a former ANC MP, was expected to make the announcement at 4pm in Johannesburg. It comes ahead of this weekend’s national [...]

Diamond Trading Company not pressured to reduce sales-Mmopi

30 October, 2008 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi WANETSHA MOSINYI Staff Writer Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Botswana will next Monday start its 9th sale of unpolished gems to its tightly screened sightholders. DTC Botswana’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Kago Mmopi, says the final two “sights” for this year – which will be week-long events including the one next Monday and [...]

Zimbabwe: Diamonds Can Take You Into Forever

30 October, 2008 in Zimbabwe

source: allAfrica UN Integrated Regional Information Networks 29 October 2008 Marange Armed informal diamond miners in Zimbabwe’s eastern Manicaland Province, scraping a living in desperate times, are resisting attempts by police to remove them in increasingly violent clashes. According to police spokesperson Andrew Phiri, as quoted by the state-owned The Herald newspaper, several police officers [...]

Local company starts exploration in S/Phikwe

30 October, 2008 in Botswana, Business, Mining

source: BOPA 29 October, 2008 SELEBI-PHIKWE – Triprop Holdings has launched its mining exploration venture in the copper/ nickel rich Selebi-Phikwe. The Botswana-based company holds a license from the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources to prospect for base metals in a 900 square kilometer area in the Selebi-Phikwe region. Minister Ponatshego Kedikilwe performed [...]

MISA condemns publication of Media Bill

30 October, 2008 in Botswana

source: Mmegi TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA Staff Writer The Media Institute of South Africa (MISA) Botswana has condemned this week’s publication of the controversial Media Practitioners Bill by the Minister of Communication, Science and Technology Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi. MISA national director, Thapelo Ndlovu said the minister published the bill before the proposed consultation between the media fraternity and [...]

South Africa: No police powers for guards – Reddy

30 October, 2008 in South Africa

source: IOL October 29 2008 at 03:06PM Security guards participating in the crime prevention initiative will not be given police powers, said Honeydew police station Commissioner Oswald Reddy on Wednesday. “There seems to be misunderstanding and confusion about the operational concept due to an article published in the media on Sunday, which incorrectly indicated that [...]

Botswana clams up on ivory sale details

30 October, 2008 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi EPHRAIM KEORENG Staff writer Botswana will be among four African countries that will be selling ivory this week.The auction opens almost 10 years after it was closed in southern Africa in 1999. Other countries that will dispose of their stockpiles are Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. They will auction more than 100 tons [...]